Iraq Notebook
Auditor's report on Iraq released

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WASHINGTON — The government has opened more than 100 investigations involving the billions of dollars in U.S. and Iraqi funds intended for the rebuilding of Iraq, according to an auditor's report to be released today. One involves a case in which Iraqi construction companies were suspected of illegally removing equipment belonging to the Iraqi interim government with the help of U.S. troops, who allegedly were paid for their services, the report said.

The report said most investigations involved fraud, waste and abuse of funds, while 40 percent were linked to reprisals, theft and other issues. It said 75 cases had been either closed or referred to other U.S. agencies and 38 remained open.

The report was prepared for Congress by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the successor to the inspector general's office of the Coalition Provisional Authority, (CPA) the U.S. occupying power that was dissolved in June.

In addition to its investigations, the FBI had at least five open and pending cases involving Iraq, with two recent ones focusing on public corruption and government fraud, the report said. It gave no details.

A leaked draft of an audit due out this month said at least $8.8 billion in Iraqi funds given to Iraqi ministries by the CPA could not be accounted for.

Most of any money misused likely came from the $22 billion spent from the fund generated by Iraqi oil sales. Of the $24 billion authorized by Congress, only about $3 billion has been spent, although $13.4 billion has been obligated to rebuilding contracts.

Baghdad official slain en route to work

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Gunmen killed the deputy governor of Baghdad on his way to work today, Iraqi officials said.

Hatim Kamil was assassinated in a drive-by shooting, said Baghdad Gov. Ali al-Haidari. He had no other details.

Interior Ministry spokesman Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman said Kamil was killed when gunmen opened fire on his car in the southern Doura neighborhood. Two of his bodyguards were wounded in the attack, Abdul-Rahman said.
 
Insurgents have killed dozens of Iraqi politicians and government workers in recent months in a bid to destabilize the country's reconstruction.

Beheaded man's family apologizes

TOKYO — The family of Shosei Koda, the 24-year-old backpacker beheaded last week by militants in Iraq, apologized yesterday to the Japanese people for "anxieties we have caused."

Koda's grief-stricken family said it had received more than 50 phone calls from Japanese critical of their son's trip and the use of tax dollars in the attempt to secure his release.

"We would like to sincerely apologize for the anxieties we have caused many people," the family said in a statement. "This is the outcome, but we pray that peace will come to the people of Iraq as soon as possible."

Earlier this year, five other Japanese workers kidnapped in Iraq and later released unharmed faced sharp public criticism at home for their recklessness in voluntarily traveling to a global hotspot.

Rocket blast kills 15 in Tikrit

TIKRIT, Iraq — An insurgents' rocket slammed into a hotel in Tikrit late yesterday, killing 15 Iraqis and wounding eight others, hospital officials said.

Insurgents may have been aiming at a nearby U.S. position, which was targeted by a second rocket. No American casualties were reported.

Those killed apparently were Shiite Muslims from the south who came to work in the mostly Sunni Muslim region, a cameraman working for Reuters Television said.

Arab channel denies pro-U.S. affiliation

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Arab satellite channel Al Arabiya yesterday denied accusations by Islamist groups that it had a pro-U.S. editorial line, a day after a bloody car-bombing of its offices in Baghdad killed seven people, including five Iraq employees of the channel.

"We have always strived to be neutral and balanced and avoid leaning towards any party in the conflict," said a statement issued by the Dubai-based channel.

"Al Arabiya has paid a high price for its stance. It has been banned twice from operating in Iraq and a number of its journalists have been killed by U.S. forces," it said.