Iraq Prosecution to Probe 'Maliki WikiLeaks'

A supporter of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr lifts a placard depicting him during a a collective Friday prayer in Sadr City, east of Baghdad on July 15, 2022. (AFP)
A supporter of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr lifts a placard depicting him during a a collective Friday prayer in Sadr City, east of Baghdad on July 15, 2022. (AFP)
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Iraq Prosecution to Probe 'Maliki WikiLeaks'

A supporter of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr lifts a placard depicting him during a a collective Friday prayer in Sadr City, east of Baghdad on July 15, 2022. (AFP)
A supporter of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr lifts a placard depicting him during a a collective Friday prayer in Sadr City, east of Baghdad on July 15, 2022. (AFP)

Iraq’s judiciary is expected to examine two complaints to probe the voice recordings attributed to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in which he criticized politicians, notably his rival cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Known in Iraq as the “Maliki WikiLeaks”, the former PM threatened to attack Najaf city to protect the country’s highest Shiite authority should Sadr attack it himself.

Lawyers who filed the complaints have demanded that Maliki be held accountable for the recordings, which they said “harm national security and incite strife and sectarian violence.”

A rights source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Maliki may be tried in a special court over terrorism charges.

He added, however, that a trial is unlikely because the judiciary in Iraq is politicized.

On Wednesday, activist and journalist Ali Fadhel released around one minute of the recording. He has around 48 minutes worth of recordings and will release a minute or two a day so that they will have a popular and political impact in the country.

In the latest recording on Sunday, Maliki said: “The coming phase is that of fighting. I told this yesterday to Prime Minister [Mustafa] al-Kadhimi.”

“I told him that I am not relying on you, the army or the police. They will not do anything,” he was heard saying.

“Iraq is approaching a brutal war from which no one will emerge unscathed unless we manage to stop Sadr, [parliament Speaker Mohammed] al-Halbousi and Masoud Barzani,” he added.

Maliki’s remarks clearly date back to two months when the Sadr-Halbousi-Barzani alliance was still standing. Around a month ago, Sadr’s parliamentary bloc of 73 MPs resigned from the legislature.

Maliki was also heard saying that he was arming ten to 15 groups “in preparation for the critical phase.”

He said he would attack Najaf and protect the Shiite authority and the people should Sadr attack.

The former PM also expressed his disappointment with the Popular Mobilization Forces, ruling out the possibility of working with them and describing them as a “nation of cowards.”

Maliki has since twice denied that his voice was in the recordings.

Iraqis have dismissed his denial, saying the voice and ideas expressed in the recordings were “exactly how the former PM would think and act.”

Iraqi researcher at Arizona State University Saleem Suzah said he has no doubt that the recordings are that of Maliki.

In a Facebook post, he added that the tone of voice and manner of speaking heard in the recordings match Maliki’s.

Political researcher Yehya al-Kabisi said Maliki’s remarks are nothing new as these are statements he has often spoken to his guests. But this is the first time they are released in the open.

Sadr, meanwhile, has dismissed the recordings and called on his supporters to do the same because “we have no regard for Maliki.”



Netanyahu Offers Hamas Leaders Gaza Exit but Demands Group Disarm

A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
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Netanyahu Offers Hamas Leaders Gaza Exit but Demands Group Disarm

A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
A general view shows tents housing displaced Palestinians during Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered to let Hamas leaders leave Gaza but demanded the group abandon its arms, as his country kept up its bombardment of the Palestinian territory.

Gaza's civil defense agency said an Israeli air strike on a house and tent sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least eight people, including five children.

The strike in Khan Yunis came in the morning on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Israel resumed intense bombing of the Palestinian territory on March 18 and then launched a new ground offensive, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire in the war with Hamas.

Netanyahu rejected criticism that his government was not engaging in negotiations aimed at releasing hostages held in Gaza, insisting the renewed military pressure on Hamas was proving effective.

"We are negotiating under fire... We can see cracks beginning to appear" in Hamas's positions, the Israeli leader told a cabinet meeting.

In the "final stage", Netanyahu said that "Hamas will lay down its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave".

"The military pressure is working," Reuters quoted him as saying.

"The combination of military pressure and diplomatic pressure is the only thing that has brought the hostages back."

Hamas has expressed a willingness to relinquish Gaza's administration, but has warned its weapons are a "red line".

Egypt, Qatar and the United States are attempting to again broker a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official stated on Saturday that the group had approved a new ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators and urged Israel to support it.

Netanyahu's office confirmed receipt of the proposal and stated that Israel had submitted a counterproposal in response.

However, the details of the latest mediation efforts remain undisclosed.