Iraqi defence minister is accused of benefits fraud

THE Iraqi defence minister has been reported to Swedish police for benefits fraud, according to local media, amid claims he was receiving child and housing support long after returning to Baghdad.

Najah al-Shammari, a major general in the Iraqi army who served under former dictator Saddam Hussein, was appointed Iraq’s defence minister in June but previously lived in Sweden since at least 2012. According to Sweden’s Expressen newspaper, he was reported to Swedish police for fraud two weeks ago, after news reports disclosed that he was still registered as living in the country under the name Najah Al-Adeli.

Records indicate that the 52-year-old received 51,900 kronor (£4,200) in welfare payments in 2013 and 33,200 kronor (£2,700) in 2014, the newspaper reported. It is unclear when he returned to Iraq. According to Aftonbladet newspaper, Mr al-Shammari claimed while living in Sweden that memory problems left him unable to work. A 2014 judgment from a Swedish court stated that Mr al-Shammari and his family had, “for a long time been partly dependent on welfare support”.

Mr al-Shammari became a Swedish citizen in 2015. Despite the assertions of the Iraqi political coalition that pushed for his appointment earlier this year, a spokesman for Sweden’s defence minister confirmed to state broadcaster SVT on Friday that he still held Swedish citizenship.

Mr al-Shammari has faced sharp criticism in recent weeks for the Iraqi army’s heavy-handed response to the protests sweeping the country.

The Sunday Telegraph was unable to reach Mr al-Shammari for comment.

Late yesterday, the Iraqi defence ministry responded to the reports, calling them “a cheap attempt to discredit” the minister, and threatening legal action against those who had published them.

“We confirm that the minister has now hired a Swedish lawyer … in order to sue those Swedish and Arabic newspapers and websites which published this false information,” it said.

“The minister is renowned for his bravery and stability and has followed the instructions of the highest military leader not to put demonstrators in danger but instead to support them.”