Police arrest five over forged terrorism victim medical reports

SALAH AL-DIN — Authorities in Salah Al-Din have arrested a five-member group accused of forging official medical reports used to secure government compensation for victims of terrorism, the province’s police command announced Monday.

The suspects were detained following a surveillance operation carried out by the Samarra Criminal Investigation Department. According to police, the group falsified documents related to disability assessments issued by the Salah Al-Din Health Directorate’s Permanent Medical Committee, allegedly in exchange for money.

In a statement, the command said officers confiscated a cache of forged documents, official correspondences, fake stamps, and several vehicles during the raid. “The arrests followed several days of surveillance,” the statement read.

Police said the group submitted fraudulent documents to the Martyrs Foundation, including 64 fabricated decisions assigning disability percentages, 149 official letters bearing falsified medical endorsements, and 42 complete medical reports with forged evaluations. Authorities also recovered 10 barcoded forms, three counterfeit stamps, and a number of blank or incomplete reports.

In total, four vehicles and one unregistered motorcycle were seized during the operation. Investigators said the suspects confessed under judicial supervision and have been referred to court.

Iraq’s compensation program for victims of terrorism includes medical evaluations used to determine eligibility and payment amounts. The system has long been vulnerable to exploitation, particularly following two decades of sustained attacks by militant groups including Al-Qaida and, later, the Islamic State group.