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.”



US Warplanes Carry Out 17 Strikes in Yemen 

A Yemeni man inspects the damage in the Al-Rasul Al-Aazam cancer and oncology hospital's unfinished building, a day after it was hit in a US strike in Yemen's northern Saada province on March 25, 2025. (AFP)
A Yemeni man inspects the damage in the Al-Rasul Al-Aazam cancer and oncology hospital's unfinished building, a day after it was hit in a US strike in Yemen's northern Saada province on March 25, 2025. (AFP)
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US Warplanes Carry Out 17 Strikes in Yemen 

A Yemeni man inspects the damage in the Al-Rasul Al-Aazam cancer and oncology hospital's unfinished building, a day after it was hit in a US strike in Yemen's northern Saada province on March 25, 2025. (AFP)
A Yemeni man inspects the damage in the Al-Rasul Al-Aazam cancer and oncology hospital's unfinished building, a day after it was hit in a US strike in Yemen's northern Saada province on March 25, 2025. (AFP)

Houthi media in Yemen reported Wednesday at least 17 strikes in Saada and Amran, blaming the United States for the attacks.

The group's Ansarollah website said US warplanes carried out "aggressive air raids... causing material damage to citizens' property", but gave no details of casualties.

Washington on March 15 announced a military offensive against the Iranian-backed Houthis, promising to use overwhelming force until the group stopped firing on vessels in the key shipping routes of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

That day saw a wave of US air strikes that officials said killed senior Houthi leaders, and which the militants' health ministry said killed 53 people.

Since then, Houthi-held parts of Yemen have witnessed near-daily attacks that the group has blamed on the United States, with the group announcing the targeting of US military ships and Israel.

The Houthis began targeting shipping vessels after the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with Palestinians, but paused their campaign when a ceasefire took effect in Gaza in January.

Earlier this month, they threatened to renew attacks in the vital maritime trade route over Israel's aid blockade on the Palestinian territory, triggering the first US strikes on Yemen since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Last week, Trump threatened to annihilate the Houthis and warned Tehran against continuing to aid the group.