Salem Chalabi - Iraqi Special Tribunal

Iraqi Special Tribunal

With the capture of Saddam Hussein on December 13, 2003, an Iraqi Special Tribunal was announced, with Salem placed in charge by an order signed by L. Paul Bremer III, the head of the occupation authority, As such, Salem was responsible for the setting up and the administration of the tribunal, including the nomination of judges and prosecutors; he also arranged for the judges to visit the Slobodan Milošević' tribunal at the Hague.

However on August 8, 2004, while Salem was in London, a warrant was issued in Iraq for his arrest, for his alleged involvement in the May 28, 2004 death of Haithem Fadhil, director-general of the Iraqi Ministry of Finance. On the same day, a warrant was issued for his uncle Ahmed Chalabi on money counterfeiting charges, however those charges were dropped in late September 2004, with Judge Zuhair al-Maliki citing lack of evidence. The charges against Salem Chalabi were dropped in December 2004, citing lack of evidence.

On September 7, 2004 it was reported that Chalabi had been removed or was about to be removed from his post as head of the tribunal. On September 19 the New York Times quoted Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi as saying that he had received Salem's resignation.

There is no public information available at present as to what business or professional activities, if any, Mr. Chalabi is presently engaged in.