Naseer Al-Nahr, Arab News

BAGHDAD, 21 May 2004 — US soldiers and Iraqi police yesterday raided the house and two offices of one-time American friend Ahmad Chalabi. Several people were arrested in the raids and Chalabi accused the United States of trying to pressure him to stop complaining about US plans for Iraq after sovereignty is transferred at the end of next month.

Chalabi, who once enjoyed a close relationship with the Pentagon and received US funding, has been at odds with his former patron on a number of issues recently. American officials here have complained privately that Chalabi is interfering with a US investigation into allegations that Saddam Hussein’s regime skimmed millions in oil revenues during the UN-run oil-for-food program.

The raids occurred following an arrest warrant issued for “up to 15 people” on allegations of “fraud, kidnapping and associated matters,” a senior coalition law enforcement and justice official said on condition of anonymity.

At a press conference, Chalabi lashed out at the ruling Coalition Provisional Authority, complaining it was coddling former Baath Party members and treating Iraqis badly.

“I am America’s best friend in Iraq,” Chalabi said. “If the CPA finds it necessary to direct an armed attack against my home, you can see the state of relations between the CPA and the Iraqi people.”

Chalabi claimed US authorities here were angry with him because “I am now calling for policies to liberate the Iraqi people, to get full sovereignty now, and I am pushing the gate in a way they don’t like.”

“I have opened up the investigation of the oil-for-food program which has cast doubt about the integrity of the UN here, which they don’t like,” he added.

Meanwhile, grieving Iraqis said US forces killed dozens of guests at a desert wedding but an American general insisted that the airstrike had killed foreign fighters and said “bad things happen in wars.”

It remained unclear just what happened in the early hours of Wednesday at a remote area near the Syrian border. The US military said an airstrike killed about 40 foreign fighters. Local people said the dead were civilians attending a wedding.

Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said the attack targeted “a suspected foreign fighter safe house”. “We took ground fire and we returned fire,” he said.

Shotguns, rifles and pistols, as well as jewelry and about $1,000 in Iraqi and Syrian currency, a satellite telephone and four-wheel drive vehicles were found, Kimmitt said.

“How many people go to the middle of the desert 10 miles (16 km) from the Syrian border to hold a wedding 80 miles (130 km) from the nearest civilization?” Maj. Gen. James Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division which controls the area, said in Fallujah. “I don’t have to apologize for the conduct of my men,” he added.

However, Kimmit said an investigation would be launched.

— Additional input from agencies