Iraqi Council Condemns Chalabi Raid

At an emergency meeting Friday in Baghdad, the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council criticized a raid Thursday of council member Ahmad Chalabi’s home and office and questioned the motives behind it.

“The GC did not find any justifications for the raid,” a statement from the panel said. “The GC condemns the raid and calls for respect for law, political institutions and national symbols. We announce our total support for Dr. Ahmad Chalabi.”

Although the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority said again Friday that Iraqi police had orchestrated the raid as part of a criminal fraud and kidnapping investigation that is not targeting Chalabi, several council members called on the CPA to apologize to him.

“I think that having the police go into his home really was seen as turning it into a personal thing. It would have been different if they had just gone into his offices and arrested the people they said they wanted,” a senior council aide said.

Just as when U.S. forces confronted Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr, a standoff with the Americans appears to have increased support for Chalabi. Although some might be uncomfortable with his practices, Chalabi’s colleagues said they tend to give him leeway because of his role in ridding Iraq of dictator Saddam Hussein.

“It’s fair to say that the United States has given itself a much more difficult position by taking these actions against Mr. Chalabi,” said Francis Brooke, one of Chalabi’s top aides.