Iraqi authorities have detained 47 people accused of corruption — including members of parliament and senior officials — since the early hours of Wednesday, in an anti-corruption campaign that remains ongoing. The Iraqi News Agency cited high-level sources as saying that 47 suspects, among them at least 12 members of parliament, had been arrested on corruption charges.
Sources indicated that operations to pursue those suspected of corruption are continuing in Baghdad and the provinces. The Federal Integrity Commission announced it had begun implementing firm procedures to execute judicial arrest warrants issued against a number of suspects accused of misappropriating public funds.
The commission added: "This achievement came as the fruit of combined and complementary efforts among the three judicial, executive, and legislative branches working alongside the commission, which directly led to the execution of those orders, following a series of diligent and continuous monitoring, auditing, and oversight operations by the aforementioned bodies."
The Federal Integrity Commission reaffirmed its full commitment and firm resolve to keep the public informed of the details of its work and procedures with precision and transparency, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Iraqi security forces deployed early in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, raiding the offices and homes of a number of political figures. Video footage showed security forces using heavy vehicles, including tanks, inside the Green Zone, as well as footage of security personnel inside a residential compound and inside a private home.
Correspondents reported a heavy security presence at the entrances to the Green Zone. The raids are aimed at arresting senior officials and political figures.
A security official who asked not to be identified said the raid operation targeted a number of political figures accused of financial corruption and was carried out under judicial orders, adding that counter-terrorism forces and the army participated in the operation.
Yesterday's operation was launched on direct orders from Prime Minister Ali Al Zaydi, after Iraqi judicial authorities issued arrest warrants as part of what sources described as a campaign against suspected corruption networks.
The Iraqi News Agency, citing a source it described as high-level, reported that some of the new arrests were based on confessions made by Adnan Al Jumaili, the Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Affairs, following his detention on corruption charges. His confessions are said to implicate a wide circle of officials.
Government spokesman Haider Al Aboudi said the arrests are ongoing, describing them as part of a broader anti-corruption effort and one of the most important pillars of state sovereignty, aimed at strengthening state institutions to preserve public funds. Sources who asked not to be named, given the sensitivity of the matter, said Ali Maaraj, the Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Affairs, is among those detained.
Security and legal sources also said some suspects managed to flee before security forces reached them, prompting authorities to close the entrances to the Green Zone and launch a wide-scale search operation. Sources added that the campaign is expected to continue in the coming days.
In this context, the Iraqi News Agency (WAM) published a list of the names of those accused in corruption cases who have been arrested. They are: Muthanna Al Samarrai, head of the Azm Alliance and a member of parliament.
Also among those arrested are members of parliament: Ziyad Al Janabi, Bahaa Al Nouri, Mohammed Al Karbouli, Alia Naseef, Mohammed Jamil Al Miahi, Hassan Al Khafaji, Abdul Rahman Al Luwaizi, Mudhar Al Karawi, Hind Al Abbasi, Mohammed Farman Al Jubouri, and Bushra Al Qaisi, as well as former member of parliament Mohammed Al Sayhoud, and Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Affairs Ali Maaraj.
A security official confirmed that the raids also covered cases related to the financing of factions close to Tehran, as well as the smuggling of Iranian oil, dollar smuggling, and corruption. The source said that matters are still in their early stages.