By Aus Al-Sharqi, IOL Baghdad Correspondent

BAGHDAD, August 16 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Baghdad University rector Dr. Samy Ahmed Al-Mozaffer declared that the U.S. Occupation forces detained tens of Iraqi scientists, including a number of senior university professors from Baghdad, Mustansiriya and the Technological universities.

“There is something fishy behind such detentions, as interviews are held with university professors in secret and we don’t know what is happening during them,” Al-Mozaffer said in statements he made to reporters Friday, August 15.

“We drew the professors’ attention to the necessity of avoiding any dialogue with foreign bodies that have intentions and targets to the detriment of the interests of the country,” he added.

Al-Mozaffer pointed out that the U.S. occupation forces detained Dr. Alice Krikour, professor of Bacteriology, then released her in 10 days. They have also detained Dr. Hazem Mohamed Ali of the faculty of medicine, without releasing him so far.

“We asked them [the scientists who have been detained then released] about the investigations but got no accurate information. Some said: The questions were about the past armament program,” Mozaffer said.

Replying a question posed by IslamOnline.net about the measures taken by the university president in this regard, Dr. Mozaffer said, “I’ve talked with all parties concerned, I sent a list of the names of those detained professors to the head of the civil administration. Yet, the problem persists.”

Immigration To The States

Commenting on this news, Mohammed Majid, a holder of an MD in life sciences, said, “I think the Americans try to persuade those scientists to immigrate to the U.S.. They aim to allure those scientists to travel to the states in return for some privileges. They also try to rob Iraq out of its scientific minds to make it a consumer country only.”

Majid pointed out that the U.S. “has tried through investigation committees to persuade several scientists to work abroad following the previous deposed regime.”

On his part, Hamid Hashim Al-Amery, a lecturer in the Technological University, said, “Education sector suffered a lot during the pre-war era and was exposed to huge pressures under the deposed President’s regime. This has led to the immigration of Iraqi scientists.”

“My father is a scientist who is specialized in the chemical field. He was summoned by the investigation committees before the war. Four days ago, a friend of his called and suggested to immigrate to the states to live a better life and obtain the U.S. nationality but my father categorically refused,” Soad Abdel Karim, an Iraqi citizen, said.