[areafiftyone]

Looks like warrents for both Salem and Ahmed Chalabi!

[No Blue States]

Good! Follow through with serving the warrants too. Sadr too. The tide is turning.

[McGavin999]

Well, now we know what the raid was about a couple of months ago. It apparently had nothing to do with the OFF scandal.

The Iraqi justice system differs from our in that a judge does all of the preliminary work, including the gathering of evidence (sort of like our prosecutors) before issuing a warrent.

[COBOL2Java]

Beat me to it! I heard it on the ABC radio broadcast at 3:00pm. Here's the Fox News story:

---

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has issued an arrest warrant for Ahmad Chalabi (search), a former governing council member, on counterfeiting charges and another for Salem Chalabi (search), the head of Iraq's special tribunal, on murder charges, Iraq's chief investigating judge said Sunday.

"They should be arrested and then questioned and then we will evaluate the evidence, and then if there is enough evidence, they will be sent to trial," said Judge Zuhair al-Maliky.

The warrants, issued Saturday, accused Ahmad Chalabi of counterfeiting old Iraqi dinars — which had been removed from circulation following the fall of Saddam Hussein's (search) regime last year, he said.

Ahmad Chalabi appeared to have been hiding the counterfeit money amid other old money and changing it into new dinars in the street, he said.

Police found the counterfeit money along with old dinars in Ahmad Chalabi's house during a May raid, he said.

Salem Chalabi, Ahmad Chalabi's nephew and the head of the tribunal trying Saddam, was named as a suspect in the June murder of the Haithem Fadhil, director general of the finance ministry.

Both men were reportedly out of the country Sunday.

---

Of course, ABC news led with "The man who helped encourage Bush to attack Iraq..." Now isn't that special?

[gilliam]

a suspect in the June murder of the director general of the finance ministry.

Interesting, I had a feeling it wasn't al-Queda

[BonnieJ]

We hear so little about Iraq these days, it must be going very well there for our side!

[Nick Danger]

That guy had a bright future in the "New Iraq." But he couldn't wait for it. He had to be a crook now. Scumbucket.

[HAL9000]

They should add espionage to the list of charges.

[nuconvert]

WOW!
Holey Moley

[mylife]

very interesting news

[nuconvert]

PONG

[Grampa Dave]

Good news!

Ever since Chalabi was ousted, our intel has been better and fewer of our warriors have been set up in ambush traps.

Salem and Ahmed Chalabi are currently out of Iraq. So where will they show up for political asylum, France, Germany, Boston, Follywood or maybe Russia?

Of course their old Iraqi money is worthless today.

[NormsRevenge]

Bump

[HAL9000]

Salem Chabili being interviewed on CNN International now. He is in London, apparently. He says the counterfeiting charge is a setup involving a few bills his uncle innocently possessed. He claims to have no involvement with the person he is accused of inciting the murder of.

[BARLF]

And Iraq's chief investigating judge says a warrant has been issued for Salem Chalabi (SAH'-lem CHAH'-lah-bee), the head of Iraq's special tribunal, on murder charges.

Head of Iraq's special tribunal? Salem Chalabi's job was to do what?

Have anything to do with Saddam's trial? I worry that Saddam will slip the noose.

[upchuck]

I'm confused. So what else is new?

These guys are related and have the same last name but it's not pronounced the same for both? From the article:

Ahmad Chalabi (AHK'-mahd SHAH'-lah-bee)

Salem Chalabi (SAH'-lem CHAH'-lah-bee)

Maybe a typo in the article?

[Matchett-PI]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1187584/posts

[nuconvert]

Little more background info......

August 5, 2004

SALAM AL-CHALABI, THE HEAD OF THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL TO TRY SADDAM HUSSEIN, DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEATH OF AN IRAQI OFFICIAL WHO WAS INVESTIGATING THE FINANCES OF HIS UNCLE AHAMD AL-CHALABI. HE SAID THAT THE ACCUSATION IS A POLITICAL ATTEMPT TO DERAIL THE TRIAL. (AL-MASHREQ, BAGHDAD, 8/4/04) (from memri.org ticker)

[apokatastasis]

You can get the latest from Chalabi's side of the story here.

[RightWhale]

Ahmad Chalabi (AHK'-mahd SHAH'-lah-bee), . . . ,
Salem Chalabi (SAH'-lem CHAH'-lah-bee),

Or like they said on this morning's news -- HAH'-la-bee.