13 August 2004	Friday	26 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

BAGHDAD, Aug 12: Iraq has delayed implementing counterfeiting charges against politician Ahmad Chalabi, who returned to Baghdad to face the accusations, an official in his political party said on Thursday.

Mithaal Alousi told reporters Chalabi had not seen the charges and had been informed that they "have been postponed". Chalabi, a former ally of the Pentagon, returned from a trip to Iran on Wednesday to face the charges.

His nephew Salem Chalabi, the US-educated lawyer who supervises the special tribunal prosecuting Saddam Hussein, was charged with playing a role in the murder of a Finance Ministry official. -Reuters