Iraqi parliament to probe Iraqi Airways files, aviation committee member says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of Iraq's parliamentary Transport and Communications Committee said the panel will hear from government and Transport Ministry officials in the coming days to review efforts to lift Europe's flight ban on Iraqi Airways and address obstacles in that process. Muhammad Abu al-Ais told reporters that the committee, acting in its oversight capacity, had referred files on alleged administrative and financial violations at the airline directly to Transport Minister Wahb al-Hasani. He added that the committee will also examine corruption allegations in several other cases, including contracts tied to the "Baghdad Gate" company and aircraft that have been kept on the ground for extended periods. Abu al-Ais said the files "place the dismissed former director general in a guilty position" and called on the relevant authorities to open legal proceedings. Transport Minister Wahb al-Hasani had previously ordered the removal of former Director General Munaf Abdulmunim Ajil for a 60-day period. Separately, Iraq's Higher Judicial Council said earlier that 19 billion dinars had been recovered as part of a financial corruption investigation into the airline.