WELLINGTON - A former Iraqi minister in Saddam Hussein's regime has applied for refugee status in New Zealand after his presence in the country was revealed by an opposition politician, the man's lawyer said Monday.
Amer Mahdi Al-Khashali, also known as Amer Mahdi Khashaly, a former Iraqi agriculture minister, said in a statement through his lawyer his life had been put in danger after he was named by opposition member of parliament Winston Peters.
Peters named Al-Khashali last week as part of a campaign to try to show New Zealand's immigration procedures were failing to prevent former Saddam allies from entering the country. He also named an alleged former member of Saddam's elite palace guard and a former provincial mayor who are living in New Zealand.
The populist politician, a former deputy prime minister, claimed last week Al-Khashali was agriculture minister from 1979 to 1982 and had been involved in Saddam's chemical weapons programme.
Al-Khashali's lawyer, Simon Laurent, said Monday he had applied to the Immigration Service for refugee status for Al-Khashali and his wife.
"Their claim is based on their fear of serious harm if they are forced to return to Iraq," Laurent said in a statement.
"The fear would not have arisen but for the publication of Mr Al-Khashali's name in recent days, both nationally and internationally, and the links made between Mr Al-Khashali and the former government of Saddam Hussein."
Laurent said the abuse of the parliamentary process had put in danger the lives of private individuals in their retirement years.
Al-Khashali and his wife had been living with family in New Zealand after obtaining visitor permits but the permits were revoked by the government last week after their presence in the country was revealed by Peters.
Prime Minister Helen Clark also criticised Mr Peters for naming Al-Khashali, saying this had provided grounds for legal action to allow him to stay in New Zealand.
05/09/2005 07:07 GMT