Najah al-Shammari, 52, took over as Iraq's defense minister in June this year. Already in the spring, claims were circulated in Iraqi media that he was a Swedish citizen. Something was denied by his party, according to The Baghdad post. However, images of a Swedish passport, which should belong to the Minister of Defense, have continued to circulate in social media.

This week, the News site today published data that indicated that Najah al-Shammari is in fact a Swedish citizen and registered in a suburb of Stockholm.

Toni Eriksson, press secretary for Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist, confirms the information for SVT News. Information that is also confirmed by several independent sources that SVT has been in contact with.

Neighbor confirms

But it is with another name that Najah al-Shammari is reported to be registered in Sweden. According to information from the Swedish Tax Agency, he applied for a residence permit in 2009 and became a Swedish citizen in 2015.

SVT News has talked to residents at the address where the man is registered. A neighbor who gets to see a picture of the Minister of Defense says that it is definitely the same man who lives in the Stockholm suburb.

Suspected of serious crimes

In 2016, he was indicted for several serious crimes, but the prosecution was dropped just a day before the trial would begin. In the interrogation interrogation, the man states that he is a doctoral student in political science and holds a master's degree in military science. He also says that he was an officer in the Iraqi army during the 1990s.

Since 2006, Iraqis have been allowed dual citizenship. But according to the Constitution, this does not apply to persons on high positions, such as the Minister of Defense.

Hundreds of protesters have been killed in the widespread protests that have shaken Iraq lately. Defense Minister Najah al-Shammari has been criticized for his role in the violence.