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“Elaborate Plot” to Assassinate Allawi Backed by Regional Party | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat – Senior Arab and Iraqi security officials revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat what it described as an “elaborate plot” to assassinate the head of the Iraqiya List, Iyad Allawi. The sources said that “local groups are involved in this plot and it is also backed by a regional party.”

According to the sources, “Iraqi intelligence in cooperation with intelligence bodies of a neighbouring Arab country were able to expose the elaborate assassination plot and to track down a number of people [involved] as well as the weapons that were going to be used to implement this plot.” The source further indicated that “US forces operating in Iraq verified this information and helped disclose it.”

A security source close to Allawi also confirmed the information for Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday describing it as “top secret.” The source who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity said, “The intelligence confirmed that the plot was scheduled to be carried out directly before Allawi begun to form the next government.” The source also indicated that “strict precautionary measures have now been imposed in order to protect Allawi.”

Meanwhile a senior source from the Iraqiya List stated that “pressure, exclusion and the tarnishing of Iraqiya’s image will not stop and the fierce battle between extreme and moderate forces – the ferocity of which we have always spoken about – is intensifying.” In this context, the source added that “the Iraqi security bodies arrested a member of the Al Jumaili clan by the name of Abu Talal al Jumaili, accusing him of seeking to form a militia and made him confess under duress that he was pushed to form this militia with the support of leaders from the Iraqiya bloc.”