Exclusive: Terrorists receive pensions from Iraq’s Martyrs Foundation, says MP

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Amir Al-Maamouri, an Iraqi MP from Babil in centralIraq, revealed that five terrorists in the province are receiving pensions from the Martyrs Foundation.

Al-Maamouri told Shafaq News, "These terrorists carried out numerous terrorist crimes in Babil and other provinces,” pointing out that "they have been receiving pensions for ten years after fake death certificates were issued for them by Fallujah Teaching Hospital at the time.”

"One of the doctors who issued the death certificates was also a terrorist," he added.

“The five terrorists were involved in multiple attacks, including eight car bombings in Jibla, Babil, between 2004 and 2007, and two car bombings targeting markets and Hussainiyas in Al-Haswah, Babil,” Al-Maamouri explained.

The MP further affirmed, “The terrorists also carried out attacks in other provinces, including detonating two car bombs in Karbala during the 2010 Arbaeen pilgrimage, killing many visitors, and detonating two others in Al-Suwaira, Wasit…They were also involved in numerous assassinations targeting religious, military, academic figures, officials, and civilians in Babil.”

"How were the death certificates for these terrorists processed, how was the data recorded, and how were pensions granted to their families?" Al-Maamouri questioned, calling on the Prime Minister to “re-examine all suspicious death certificates issued by hospitals.”

Foundation of Martyrs in Iraq: Background

The Foundation of Martyrs is the official institution responsible for supporting the families of victims of the Baath Party’s crimes, as well as the martyrs and wounded of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and other victims of terrorism. It is a constitutional entity that encompasses all martyrs, the injured, and victims across Iraq, without exception.

Iraqi ministries depend on the Foundation of Martyrs to verify the status of martyrs and injured individuals, confirming their eligibility under the foundation’s law.

The rights granted to the injured include both financial support, such as a monthly salary, and non-material benefits, including access to Hajj, education, and healthcare.

Founded in 2006 through a parliamentary decree, the Foundation was initially established to provide compensation and social support to victims of Saddam Hussein's Baathist regime (1979-2003). After the violence following the 2003 US-led invasion, other victims began calling for equal support from the state.

In response, the Iraqi parliament passed Law No. 20 in 2009, which extended compensation and social support to victims of terrorism and those affected by military operations. The Foundation’s role expanded in 2016, following the war against ISIS, and it now provides direct social support to nearly one million Iraqis, making it one of the country’s largest social service providers.

The Foundation is currently headed by Dr. Abdel-Ilah Al-Nayli.