Juan Cole - April 20, 2005 Part 2

Outgoing Interior Minister Warns on Iran, Badr Corps

Falah al-Naqib, the interior minister in the expiring government of Iyad Allawi, warned Tuesday that melding the Shiite Badr Corps into the new Iraqi security forces would be a mistake. He also blamed Iranian intelligence for the rumors that Sunni guerrillas had taken over 100 Shiites hostage at Mada'in (a charge that is completely implausible, by the way).