Source:
Associated PressIraq Loses $8 Billion Through CorruptionBy BASSEM MROUE and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 4, 2007; 3:32 PM
BAGHDAD -- Iraq's top corruption fighter said Wednesday that $8 billion in government
money was wasted or stolen over the past three years and claimed he was threatened
with death after opening an investigation into scores of Oil Ministry employees.
In the chaos and lawlessness of Iraq, such threats are not taken lightly. Radi al-Radhi,
who runs the Public Integrity Commission, leads one of the more dangerous missions in
the country. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that 20 members of the
organization have been murdered since it began its work.
In perhaps the most publicized recent case, an estimated $2 billion disappeared from
funds to rebuild the electricity infrastructure.
-snip-Corruption in the country, while traditionally rampant, is encouraged by constitutional
clause 136 B, al-Radhi said. It gives Cabinet ministers the power to block his
investigations.
-snip-Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401718.html