Iraqi Judge to Decide Whether to Allow Counterfeiting Case Against Chalabi

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Iraqi Judge to Decide Whether to Allow Counterfeiting Case Against Chalabi to Go Forward

09-01-2004 7:50 PM
By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An Iraqi judge will decide as soon as Thursday whether to allow the counterfeiting case against former Iraq Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi to go ahead.

Chalabi, a wealthy Iraqi exile and former Pentagon favorite, appeared at a hearing before Iraq's chief investigating judge Zuhair al-Maliky on Wednesday, answering a court summons.

Speaking to reporters later, Chalabi said that the warrant had been downgraded to a court summons and the charges themselves had been dropped. Al-Maliky agreed that the warrant had been reduced but said the charges against Chalabi were still pending Wednesday night.

"Tomorrow I will review the file and make a final decision on whether to bring him on formal charges or drop the case," al-Maliky said. "It is a very thick file."



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