Squads of soldiers, backed by Iraqi police, sealed off the neighborhood around the headquarters of the Iraqi National Congress (INC) and a nearby house used by Chalabi for meeting officials, removing computers, files and other equipment.
INC spokesman Haider Moussawi said the troops also wanted to arrest two party members but were told by Chalabi they were not present. Chalabi, who returned from exile after the fall of Saddam Hussein as a potential future leader, was not detained.
"They have been putting political pressure on us for weeks. It's part of an attempted character assassination and it's politically motivated, but it won't work," Moussawi said.
"When someone stands up independently and puts his views firmly it appears the Americans don't like it, it scares them."
Moussawi said he did not know what the raid was related to, but called it a worrying development. "They think they can do whatever they want. They didn't even have a warrant."
article
INC spokesman Haider Moussawi said the troops also wanted to arrest two party members but were told by Chalabi they were not present. Chalabi, who returned from exile after the fall of Saddam Hussein as a potential future leader, was not detained.
"They have been putting political pressure on us for weeks. It's part of an attempted character assassination and it's politically motivated, but it won't work," Moussawi said.
"When someone stands up independently and puts his views firmly it appears the Americans don't like it, it scares them."
Moussawi said he did not know what the raid was related to, but called it a worrying development. "They think they can do whatever they want. They didn't even have a warrant."
Bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq.
We sort of have a pattern of dealing with crooks and then dumping them, don't we?
