BAGHDAD, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- American officials have warned Iraqi leaders they risk losing financial aid if they fail to act on charges Interior Ministry police abuse prisoners.
A U.S. law bars financial assistance to foreign security forces that commit "gross violations of human rights," the New York Times said Saturday. Sunni Arabs accused the Shiite-dominated Interior Ministry of participating in torturing and killing prisoners.
Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, said Iraq has not been formally notified its national police are violating the law, the Times said. Khalilzad said he was optimistic Iraqis would resolve the issue and retain the aid.
Khalilzad said American officials were looking into what aid would be cut for which programs if the law were applied, the Times said.
The issue revolves around the joint Iraqi-American inspection and subsequent probe of a prison in eastern Baghdad, where there was evidence of systematic abuse and torture, the Times said.
It also highlights Americans' concern about militias infiltrating interior military forces and the government's reluctance to do anything about it, the Times said.
