The formation of the new government was thrown into disarray as an Iraqi court began to disqualify candidates who ran in last month’s parliamentary elections. At least seven Iraqis were killed and 17 were wounded in new violence.
An Iraqi court disqualified 52 candidates, including one winner from the Iraqiya party, over alleged involvement with the now-illegal Ba’ath Party. It is unclear what the latest disqualifications would mean to the overall picture, but it is certain to delay the formation of the new government. Votes for the candidates were thrown out and new results for parliamentary elections will have to be calculated. More court decisions are expected tomorrow.Ayad Allawi, the head of the Iraqiya party, demanded U.N. intervention.
The head of the Independent High Electoral Commission, Faraj al-Haidari, called a recount of Baghdad votes, which was granted by the same court as the disqualifications, "just some kind of a political demonstration" on the part of the Nouri al-Maliki government. Iraqiya came out slightly ahead of Maliki’s State of Law party giving them a slight edge in forming the new government.
A roadside bomb blast in Fallujah killed three policemen and wounded two civilians. A roadside bomb west of the city wounded three civilians. A sticky bomb was defused without casualties.
One civilian was killed and four more were wounded in a sticky bomb blast in Baquba. A weapons cache was confiscated.
At least four bombs exploded near a policeman’s home in Ramadi, killing him and wounding three others. A bobby-trapped car was defused safely.
In Mosul, an unidentified body bearing bullet wounds was turned in to the morgue. A civilian was gunned down.
In Baghdad, two blasts wounded three people, including a policeman.
A roadside bomb targeting a U.S. patrol in Taji wounded two Iraqis instead.
No casualties were reported after a U.S. camp in Hilla suffered a mortar attack.
A roadside bomb targeting a U.S. patrol in Diwaniya left no casualties.
In Kirkuk, no casualties were reported after a roadside bomb blasted a police patrol. Two suspects were arrested. Another suspect was detained separately. Four sticky bombs were seized.
Joint U.S. and Iraqi forces arrested nine suspects in Baghdad and Basra. Another 21 suspects were detained separately in Basra.
Five al-Qaeda members handed themselves over to police in Baquba.
In Karbala, police arrested a kidnapping gang.
The governor of Ninewa province said that he did not know the exact number of Ninewa residents detained at a secret prison in Baghdad, but he thinks at least 90 detainees are held there.
