Iraq Launches Investigation After Erroneous Terrorist Asset Freeze Report Sparks Political Uproar
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, an emergency meeting was convened in Iraq to address the fallout from a contentious report that incorrectly identified several organizations as having ties to terrorist activities. The meeting of the committee responsible for freezing terrorist assets in Iraq was prompted by the erroneous inclusion of non-related international parties and organizations in a report concerning terrorist groups’ assets.
Sources speaking to Al-Mayadeen emphasized that the session aimed to rectify errors within the report, specifically to remove clauses related to the asset freezes of several unrelated international parties and institutions. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani swiftly responded by ordering an immediate inquiry into the mistakes present in the asset-freezing committee’s report.
Sudani’s office stated that the report’s contents did not accurately reflect the country’s official stance. They clarified that Iraq’s agreement to freeze terrorist assets, based on a request from Malaysia, was solely in reference to entities and individuals associated with ISIS and al-Qaeda. The Iraqi government reaffirmed its unwavering position regarding aggressions against the people of Lebanon and Palestine, emphasizing that these stances reflect the will of the Iraqi people and are not subject to compromise.
The publication of an official document in the official gazette, “Al-Waqai Al-Iraqiya,” ignited a significant political crisis in Iraq. This document, Decision No. 61 from the Committee to Freeze Terrorist Assets, listed names of entities and individuals linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda. The inclusion of Hezbollah of Lebanon and Ansarallah of Yemen on the list sparked immediate controversy, causing political tensions and widespread reactions.
Iraqi media outlets reported, citing the official gazette, that Baghdad had frozen the assets of Hezbollah and Ansarallah. This revelation occurred amidst pressures from the United States, internal disputes within the Coordination Framework, and challenges related to the appointment of a new prime minister, leading analysts to speculate a shift in Baghdad’s security policy.
Following the news, social media platforms in Iraq saw a surge of protests. Figures close to the axis of resistance, including parliamentary representatives, denounced the action as a departure from Iraq’s official policies. Parliament member Mustafa Jabbar Sanad criticized the apparent contradiction of designating Hezbollah and Ansarallah as terrorists while considering certain perpetrators as candidates for peace, demanding immediate clarification from the government.
In response to the growing outcry, the Central Bank of Iraq issued a statement refuting the inclusion of Hezbollah and Ansarallah on the terrorist list. The statement clarified that Iraq’s approval was strictly limited to entities and individuals directly associated with ISIS and al-Qaeda, attributing the incorrect inclusion of other groups to the “release of an unedited version” of the list.
