Maliki accused of purging rivals before Iraqi election

BAGHDAD - Government critics and independent legislators accused Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki yesterday of launching a purge of senior security officials in order to weaken political rivals ahead of winter elections.

Maliki ordered the dismissal of at least three senior officials from the Interior Ministry over the weekend, Iraqi newspapers reported: Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf, the ministry's commander of operations; Gen. Ahmed Abu Rikheef, the head of internal affairs; and the director of the explosives division, who was not identified in the reports.

Allies of Maliki, speaking only on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the matter, described the dismissals as "reassignments" because of security breaches related to the attack Aug. 19 on government ministries that killed about 100 people and wounded hundreds. The bombings, a brazen assault on the heart of the government, embarrassed Maliki's administration and shook Iraqis' faith in the security gains of the last year.

Two of the men dismissed by Maliki, Khalaf, and Rikheef, are well-known to Iraqis for their highly publicized involvement last year in major operations against Iranian-backed militias. They also are said to be close allies of Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, who is expected to challenge Maliki in the January elections.

Iraqi lawmakers have accused Maliki of trying to weaken Bolani before the election and of possibly removing him if the prime minister can muster enough legislative support.

"Legally, as commander general of the armed forces, Maliki has the authority to bring about such changes. But like this?" said Abdul Kareem al-Samarrai, a Sunni lawmaker who serves on the security committee. "A decision by one man? High-ranking commanders dismissed without formal investigation? It looks political, a settling of scores or the removal of people who are undesirable for reasons other than professional ones."

Shiite legislator Hadi al-Ameri, chairman of the security committee, said he wasn't sure why the commanders were dismissed. He said that if the matter were related to the August bombings, "then it is acceptable, because it is they who are responsible for providing security in Baghdad, and they failed miserably."

Ameri said the Iraqi Constitution set out the protocol for hiring and firing high-ranking commanders. However, he said, those rules were set aside in the past to fill sensitive positions fast in the fight against terrorism.

Aides in Maliki's office denied that the prime minister had begun a purge of his rivals but declined to discuss details of the dismissals. But Maliki media adviser Ali al-Musawi said: "This has nothing to do with politics."

On the battlefront yesterday, roadside bombs in Baghdad and northern Iraq killed four U.S. soldiers, the deadliest day for American forces in Iraq since combat troops pulled back from urban areas more than two months ago.

In all, at least 4,343 U.S. service members have died since the war began in March 2003.

An Iraqi military spokesman in Baghdad yesterday acknowledged the need to improve Iraq's U.S.-trained security forces after the devastating suicide truck bombings that targeted government ministry buildings.

Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said at a news conference that 29 police and army officers responsible for security in the area around the Foreign and Finance Ministries that were bombed had been arrested and charged with negligence.