Ooohh I wonder where the money went
Iraq seeks arrest of former officials over missing defense funds
By Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press | October 11, 2005
BAGHDAD -- Iraq has issued arrest warrants against the defense minister and 27 other officials from the US-backed government of former prime minister Iyad Allawi over the alleged disappearance or misappropriation of $1 billion in military procurement funds, officials said yesterday.
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Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts Those accused include four other ministers from Allawi's government, which was replaced by an elected Cabinet led by Shi'ite parties in April, said Ali al-Lami of Iraq's Integrity Commission. Many of the officials are believed to have left Iraq, including Hazem Shaalan, the former defense minister who moved to Jordan shortly after the new government was installed.
For months, Iraqi investigators have been looking into allegations that millions of dollars were spent on overpriced deals for shoddy weapons and military hardware, apparently to launder cash, at a time when Iraq was battling a bloody insurgency that still persists.