Jordan MPs sceptical of oil bribery scandal report

Jordanian parliamentarians hope that a government probe will get to the bottom of allegations that 14 Jordanians received oil worth tens of millions of dollars from the former Iraqi regime.

But some MPs have expressed scepticism over the allegations that appeared in an Iraqi newspaper. "Iraq is an occupied country by America," said MP Azam Heneidi, head of the Islamic Action Front (IAF) bloc at the parliament. Therefore, "all what comes out of Iraq is doubtful," he told Gulf News.

IAF, which is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, is the biggest opposition group in Jordan.

Moreover, Heneidi said, some names included in the list published by the Iraqi newspaper are names of people known for their positions, and "we rule out that Jordanian personalities known for their political positions and nationalistic role be involved in wrong practices," he said.

According to Al Mada newspaper report, the 14 persons included businessmen, journalists and pro-minent politicians.

The report alleged they were among hundreds from other countries who received millions of barrels of oil from Saddam Hussain, for supporting his regime.

Former Iraqi oil officials were quoted as saying the list, which was said to be based on an oil ministry documents, is true but many Jordanians who are on the list have denied receiving "oil bribes".