European and US Drug and Medical Device Companies Challenge Allegations of Iraq War Financing

Shafaq News/ More than 20 European and US drug and medical device companies, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare USA, and F. Hoffman-La Roche, have taken the step of petitioning the US Supreme Court to block allegations that they provided financial support for the killing or injury of American soldiers during the Iraq war.

This move is a direct challenge to a ruling handed down by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The petition, filed on Wednesday and subsequently added to the Supreme Court's public agenda, seeks to contest the previous decision.

The lawsuit revolves around accusations leveled at 21 American and European medical equipment and medicine companies. They are alleged to have made payments to the "Mahdi Army" in exchange for contracts related to medical supplies, with the plaintiffs arguing that the Mahdi Army held control over the Iraqi Ministry of Health.

In response to the allegations, the implicated companies released a joint statement strongly refuting the claims and expressing doubts about the plaintiffs' assertions. They emphasized that they bear no responsibility for the tragic events attributed to Iraqi militia groups, as highlighted in their statement.

It is worth noting that the Mahdi Army, led by Muqtada al-Sadr, is a Shiite military group formed in 2003 in response to the US invasion of Iraq. While not designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, United Nations, or European Union, the Mahdi Army has maintained a positive relationship with the Iraqi Shiite population.