Ayham al-Samarie

Ayham al-Samarie (also spelt Aiham Alsammarae and Ahyam al Samarrai) is a Sunni Arab Iraqi politician and the former Iraqi Minister of Electricity. He fled his trial in Iraq on corruption charges after hiring Blackwater USA to break him out of prison. He currently resides in Chicago.

Exile

Al-Samarie attended university in the United States, and is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/news/archive/archive?ArchiveId=12876 Iraqi official: Fighters ready to talk] , "Al Jazeera", 2005-06-09, accessed on 2007-01-08 ]

He was a member of the Iraqi exile community in the United States during the 1990s, when he was a member of the executive committee of the opposition group Democratic Centrist Tendency. He is an associate of Adnan Pachachi and a member of Pachachi's Iraqi Independent Democrats. [ cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3199561.stm|title=Iraq's post-war cabinet|accessdate=2006-02-24|author=BBC News|year=2003-09-01 ] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3766401.stm|author=BBC News|year=2004-06-01|title=Interim Iraqi government|accessdate=2006-02-24 ]

Interim Governing Council

Al-Samarie was appointed Minister of Electricity in the cabinet appointed by the Interim Iraq Governing Council in September 2003. He left the government in May 2005 when the Iraqi Transitional Government, a coalition of Shiite and Kurdish parties, took office following their victory in the Iraqi legislative election of January 2005.

Talks with insurgents

In June he announced that two insurgent groups - the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Army of Mujihadeen were ready to open talks with the government. [ [http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=15750 Iraqi politician says two insurgent groups ready for dialogue] , "Daily Star (Lebanon)", 2005-06-08 ] . However in July he was the target of a death threat from Ansar al-Sunnah as well as those two groups, who said they had been "too patient with his lies" [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161180,00.html U.S. Detains 12 in Operation Sword] , "FOX News", 2005-06-30 ] He was the target of a roadside bomb in February 2006. [ [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=a4860c9e-dd41-47f6-b51a-34603c5eeb1e&k=16571 Suicide bomber kills 8 in Baghdad] , "National Post", 2006-02-13]

Corruption allegations

In September his successor as Electricity Minister, Muhsen Shallal, described the ministry as a "hideout for corruption" and said he had discovered "fake contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars" [ [http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2005-09-27%5C10533.htm Power output boosted to 5,400 megawatts] , "Azzaman", 2005-09-27 ] In August 2006 Al-Samarie was arrested on corruption charges alleging irregularities in the approval of contracts and misappropriation of millions of dollars. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/26/africa/ME_GEN_Iraq_Corruption.php Arrest warrants issued for 88 former Iraqi officials on corruption charges] , "International Herald Tribune", 2006-09-26 ] . He was convicted in October 2006 of corruption relating to a $200,000 generator purchase and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. He claimed protection from the United States as an American citizen, and American troops immediately seized him and took him from the court to the American Embassy. [ [http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-10-11T192613Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-271833-1.xml&archived=False Iraqi ex-minister says seeks US protection] , "Reuters", 2006-10-11 ] However, he was released back into Iraqi custody after only a few hours [ [http://www.nysun.com/article/41516 Armed Americans Rescue an Iraqi Convict] , "New York Sun", 2006-10-13 ]

The Chicago Sun Times reported [ [http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/158001,CST-NWS-rezko03.article Feds probe Rezko's Iraq contract] , "Chicago Sun", 2006-12-03, accessed on 2007-01-08 ] December 3, 2006 that United States authorities wanted to talk to Al Samarie in connection with an investigation into a $150m Iraqi power plant deal involving Antoin Rezko, a top fund-raiser for Barack Obama and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich charged with defrauding Illinois taxpayers, and a good friend of al-Samarie from his time at IIT

Escape from prison

In December his conviction for corruption was overturned but he remained in custody awaiting trial for twelve other corruption cases. On December 17, 2006, he escaped from custody with help from contractors of the American security company, Blackwater USA, which he had hired to protect him before his arrest and an American plane carried him out of Iraq to Jordan. He said from Dubai he would return to the United States as he hadn't broken any US laws and had fled Iraq because he feared he would be killed or kidnapped [ [http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_ESCAPED_OFFICIAL?SITE=OHWIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Ex-Iraqi Minister Defends Jail Escape] , "Associated Press", 2007-01-08, accessed on 2007-01-08 ] [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16264322/ Former Iraqi Cabinet minister escapes police custody in Baghdad] , "MSNBC" ] [cite web
url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/19838.html |title=Maliki blasts Blackwater firm for other incidents|first=Leila|last=Fad |publisher=McClatchy Newspapers |date=2007-09-19] He arrived back in Chicago on 9 January, claiming that an Iraqi judge had ordered his release, he feared being killed if he stayed in jail and US officials had assured him he would not be extradited to Iraq. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0701170096jan17,1,4935842.story Ex-Iraqi minister back home after jail escape] , "Chicago Times", 2007-01-11, accessed on 2007-01-17]

External links

* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16264322/ Ex-Iraqi minister escapes prison in Baghdad]
* [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/18/africa/ME_GEN_Iraq_Escaped_Official.php Former Iraqi Cabinet minister escapes police custody in Baghdad]
* [http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/158001,CST-NWS-rezko03.article Feds probe Rezko's Iraq contract Want to ask jailed power chief how gov's pal got deal]
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june04/rebuilding_6-18.html 2004 Interview as Minister]
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june04/rebuilding_6-18.html 2002 Interview as Opposition Leader]
* [http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/307/The_Nine_Lives_of_Aiham_Alsammarae Iraq Slogger article]

References