Letter

Alex Falconer

Dear Editor;

Can we draw to the attention of your readers the case of Dr Amir AI Saadi the official Iraq spokesperson who presented the Iraq dossier to the UN in response to security resolution 1441 (the one often quoted by Jack Straw our Foreign Secretary). The dossier stated quite clear-ly that Iraq had no WMDs.lt is clear that this presentation was truthful. Immediately after the occupation he sur-rendered himself to the US forces and has since been detained in solitary con-finement.

Dr Saadi's wife has indicated that in September, after the publication of the Duelfer Report had made it clear that there were no WMDs in Iraq, the US government and army informed the inter-im Iraq Justice Minister that they had no more objection to freeing her husband. After checking his records the Minister also agreed to his release. Then the inter-im Prime Minister Ayad Allawi requested the handing over of Dr AI Saadi's file. Since then he has been kept in prison with no word on when he is to be released. How are we to know that those who were in exile under Saddam, who possibly supplied the misleading informa-tion on WMD are now extracting their revenge against individuals who served the Dictator.

As this country was part of the 'coalition of the willing' surely there is a responsi-bility by our Foreign Secretary to investi-gate and report on this matter.

Comrades may wish to send letters to Jack Straw seeking such an investigation and report on the reason why Dr Saadi is still under arrest.

Alex Falconer