Iraqi corruption busters venture above the parapet

By Michael Georgy

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi officials charged with uncovering state corruption said on Tuesday that the government was not doing enough to support the campaign against graft.

Fighting corruption can be risky in Iraq, whether it concerns the fate of $1 billion at a ministry, oil smuggling or suspicions over the travel expenses of officials.

Graft inspectors speaking at a news conference organized by the U.S. embassy declined to be filmed, fearful for their lives in a land where many have been killed for their sect, belonging to security forces or speaking up against the wrong people.

Two inspectors general, from a corps at any time of 31, have been assassinated, officials said.

The very arrangements of the press conference highlighted the murky battle against graft in Iraq, which was handed sovereignty in 2004 by the U.S. occupation authority.

A U.S. diplomat hosted the briefing, which was designed to highlight U.S. support for Iraqi anti-corruption efforts, suggesting the Iraqi government has little interest in promoting the drive against graft.

"We do not ask the Americans to support us. We ask that from our government. Part of the government's goals is to fight corruption," Mukhles Abdul Razaq, inspector general to the Ministry of Human Rights.

"We ask the government to stand side by side with the general inspector to advance this program and put it on the right direction, to start a new step in building Iraq on the political and economic level."

Several anti-corruption organizations have been set up since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 and raised hopes of greater transparency after years of dictatorship.

In one of the most high profile cases, Iraq issued arrest warrants for the former defense minister and two dozen other officials in 2005 in connection with the alleged misappropriation of more than $1 billion from state coffers.

During Hazim al-Shaalan's tenure, the Defense Ministry is alleged to have spent about $1.3 billion on military equipment, most of which was inappropriate, out of date and bought from intermediaries rather than suppliers in contravention of the law.

Corruption has also taken a toll on Iraq's oil industry, the country's main source of income, and parliamentarians have repeatedly called for probes into the travel expenses of government officials.

Iraq set up the Commission on Public Integrity in 2004 under U.S. occupation to investigate allegations of corruption, act on anonymous complaints on graft and propose legislation to strengthen ethical standards for public officials and employees.

Few results of investigations have been made public.