Iraqi officials, lawmakers arrested on corruption charges

Several Iraqi political officials were arrested early Sunday on corruption charges, Iraq’s State-run Iraqi News Agency reported.
It said the arrests were based on statement made by former Deputy Minister of Oil Adnan al-Jumaili, who was arrested last month, and “included members of Parliament whose immunity had been lifted.”
Iraqi security forces sealed off all entrances to the capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone early Sunday and carried out raids inside the compound that houses key government institutions and foreign embassies.

A security agency report obtained by The Associated Press said that seven people were arrested, among them five members of Parliament. Some of the arrestees were from the political bloc of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. It was not immediately clear what the specific accusations against them were.
Al-Sudani’s bloc won the largest share of seats in November’s parliamentary elections, but he ultimately stepped aside.     (AP )