Iraqi court arrests man in Najaf for impersonating judiciary official in blackmail scheme

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Higher Judicial Council announced on Saturday that a man was detained in Najaf for impersonating an official from the office of the council's president and a staff member of the Prime Minister's Central Anti-Corruption Committee. According to a statement from the Najaf Investigation Court, the suspect telephoned the city's Land Registry Director, falsely claiming to be in direct contact with the head of the Higher Judicial Council. The suspect told the director that his name appeared on an arrest warrant list and offered to have it removed in exchange for money. Court records show the same individual had previously attempted to extort the director of Najaf International Airport and the city's Electricity Distribution Director using the same method. The Najaf Investigation Court opened legal proceedings, gathered evidence and detained the suspect to take his statement. He will be referred to the competent court for trial, the council said. No further details on the ongoing investigation were immediately available.