The Iraqi government said that security forces foiled "an attempt to commit election fraud" and arrested several conspirators one month ahead of the elections scheduled for October.
"The security services carried out a pre-emptive operation in which they thwarted an attempt to rig the elections by putting pressure on several election commission employees, with the aim of mixing political cards and creating chaos," Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's office said.
Sources said that a number of those involved in limited electoral fraud were arrested during the past week.
They indicated that leaders of the blocs were afraid of fraud scandals that might prevent the elections from taking place on time, and they tried to obtain reassurances that such operations are not technically possible.
The sources say that the representatives of the electoral commission who attended a special meeting presented procedural and technical processes that confirm the difficulty of forgery. However, the party leaders were looking for pledges ahead of the upcoming election without compromising their integrity.
Kadhimi's meeting with the political forces aimed to inform them of the legal and security measures taken, which are likely to escalate soon.
The sources indicated that the meeting attempted to restraint the parties colluding with the network of fraudsters.
Local media reports said the intelligence services detained a former member of the electoral commission, Miqdad al-Sharifi, over alleged involvement with the fraud network.
The Iraqi authorities are still reluctant to provide information about Sharifi, and a senior source said that the security authorities are investigating him.
The source, who spoke on anonymity, said the authorities arrested Sharifi at Baghdad airport before leaving the country.
The preliminary investigations revealed that he leads a group that carries out fraud operations on-demand in favor of political parties in the new elections.
According to the source, Sharifi told political leaders that he could organize guaranteed fraud given his old influence within the commission.
A senior government official said that Sharifi's allegations about his influence are exaggerated, given that a judicial body now manages the commission.
This is the second time authorities announced that they had thwarted an attempt to rig the elections in nearly a week.
Last Tuesday, the Supreme Judicial Council announced a working group of investigative judges and judicial investigators, in cooperation with the security authorities, to monitor attempts to rig elections, tamper with and purchase votes.
Security and government agencies refused to respond to Asharq Al-Awsat's questions about the investigation with Sharifi and the nature of the charges against him.
A senior security source described the issues as "highly politically sensitive."
Kadhimi's meeting with the political forces aimed at reviewing the judicial and governmental campaign against fraud attempts.
However, a political advisor explained that the past week witnessed several judicial moves to limit these activities, even though they do not pose a real threat to the entire electoral process.
The advisor told Asharq Al-Awsat that a judicial body now runs the commission. The judicial authorities showed quick and robust reactions to protect the electoral system.
He noted that the move appeared to be politically, directed at parties trying to infiltrate the commission.
