Hazim al-Shaalan
Encyclopedia
Hazim al-Shaalan al-Khuzaei (born 1947) was Iraq
's Defence Minister from June 2004 until May 2005 under the Iraqi Interim Government
of Ayad Allawi.
al-Shaalan was born in Diwaniyya, southern Iraq
, into a leading family of the Ghazal
tribe. He is a Shia Arab
. He graduated from Baghdad University with a degree in Economics
and was an inspector general of the Iraqi Real Estate Bank from 1983 until he left Iraq in 1985. He managed a real estate
firm in London until the invasion of Iraq in 2002, after which he returned to Iraq. An Iranian news agency reported documents showing that al-Shaalan had been a member of Saddam Hussein
's secret police, the Mokhaberat.
A member of Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress
, he was appointed Governor of Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate in 2003 and then as Iraq
's Defence Minister from June 2004 until May 2005 under the Iraqi Interim Government
of Ayad Allawi. He appointed Ziyad Cattan
, as the Defence Ministry's procurement chief, who has since fallen under suspicion of involvement in the greatest theft in history- embezzling $1bn intended for weapons purchase. al-Shaalan had received an exemption from the cabinet for having his ministry's expenditures overseen by the cabinet's audit committee. al-Shaalan claimed that the Coalition Provisional Authority
's interim administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer
, had signed off the appointment of Cattan, but Bremer claims he had never heard of Cattan.
In August 2004 he said Iran was Iraq's "prime enemy."
He stood with Ghazi al-Yawar's Iraqi List
in the Iraqi legislative election of January 2005. Shortly before the election he threatened to arrest Ahmed Chalabi
for "tarnishing the reputation of the Defense Ministry and the Defense Minister." His bodyguards also clashed with Iraqi security forces in Diwaniya during campaigning for the January election
Ali Allawi
, the Finance Minister in the Iraqi Transitional Government
, accused al-Shaalan of embezzlement in 2005, and Iraq's anti-corruption watchdog, the Commission for Public Integrity, sought to bar him from running in the following parliamentary elections. He formed the "Parliament of Patriotic Forces" list for the Iraqi legislative election of December 2005, but failed to win any seats.
The Independent
says both al-Shaalan and Cattan left Iraq in 2005 for Jordan
.
In May 2007 al-Shaalan was convicted in absentia of embezzlement and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's Defence Minister from June 2004 until May 2005 under the Iraqi Interim Government
Iraqi Interim Government
The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005...
of Ayad Allawi.
al-Shaalan was born in Diwaniyya, southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, into a leading family of the Ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
tribe. He is a Shia Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
. He graduated from Baghdad University with a degree in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and was an inspector general of the Iraqi Real Estate Bank from 1983 until he left Iraq in 1985. He managed a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
firm in London until the invasion of Iraq in 2002, after which he returned to Iraq. An Iranian news agency reported documents showing that al-Shaalan had been a member of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's secret police, the Mokhaberat.
A member of Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress
Iraqi National Congress
The Iraqi National Congress is an umbrella Iraqi opposition group led by Ahmed Chalabi. It was formed with the aid and direction of the United States government following the Gulf War, for the purpose of fomenting the overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.-History:INC was set up following the...
, he was appointed Governor of Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate in 2003 and then as Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's Defence Minister from June 2004 until May 2005 under the Iraqi Interim Government
Iraqi Interim Government
The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005...
of Ayad Allawi. He appointed Ziyad Cattan
Ziyad Cattan
Ziyad Cattan is a dual citizen of Poland and Iraq.According to an article published in The Independent, on September 19, 2005, Hazim al-Shaalan, Defense Minister of Iyad Allawi's interim administration, appointed Ziyad Cattan, as the Defence Ministry's procurement chief.The Independent article...
, as the Defence Ministry's procurement chief, who has since fallen under suspicion of involvement in the greatest theft in history- embezzling $1bn intended for weapons purchase. al-Shaalan had received an exemption from the cabinet for having his ministry's expenditures overseen by the cabinet's audit committee. al-Shaalan claimed that the Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
's interim administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer
L. Paul Bremer
Lewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing the country's occupation after the 2003 invasion. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S. Secretary of...
, had signed off the appointment of Cattan, but Bremer claims he had never heard of Cattan.
In August 2004 he said Iran was Iraq's "prime enemy."
He stood with Ghazi al-Yawar's Iraqi List
Iraqi List
The Iraqi List is a political party list in the Iraqi National Assembly election, 2005, consisting of mainly secular Shia. It is dominated by the Iraqi National Accord led by former exile and interim prime minister Iyad Allawi...
in the Iraqi legislative election of January 2005. Shortly before the election he threatened to arrest Ahmed Chalabi
Ahmed Chalabi
Ahmed Abdel Hadi Chalabi is an Iraqi politician. He was interim oil minister in Iraq in April-May 2005 and December-January 2006 and deputy prime minister from May 2005 until May 2006. Chalabi failed to win a seat in parliament in the December 2005 elections, and when the new Iraqi cabinet was...
for "tarnishing the reputation of the Defense Ministry and the Defense Minister." His bodyguards also clashed with Iraqi security forces in Diwaniya during campaigning for the January election
Ali Allawi
Ali Allawi
Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi was Minister of Trade and Minister of Defense in the cabinet appointed by the Interim Iraq Governing Council from September 2003 until 2004, and subsequently Minister of Finance in the Iraqi Transitional Government between 2005 and 2006. A Shia Muslim, Allawi was part of the...
, the Finance Minister in the Iraqi Transitional Government
Iraqi Transitional Government
The Iraqi Transitional Government was the government of Iraq from May 3rd, 2005, when it replaced the Iraqi Interim Government, until May 20th, 2006, when it was replaced by the first permanent government....
, accused al-Shaalan of embezzlement in 2005, and Iraq's anti-corruption watchdog, the Commission for Public Integrity, sought to bar him from running in the following parliamentary elections. He formed the "Parliament of Patriotic Forces" list for the Iraqi legislative election of December 2005, but failed to win any seats.
The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
says both al-Shaalan and Cattan left Iraq in 2005 for Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
In May 2007 al-Shaalan was convicted in absentia of embezzlement and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.