New claim of sexual misconduct (by a KBR contractor) at Baghdad embassy

Source: UK Times Online

The British Embassy in Iraq is embroiled in new allegations of sexual misconduct, The Times has learnt.

Five Iraqi workers at the embassy have been sacked as part of an investigation into the claims, which centre on a British manager for the services company Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR).

The manager is accused of having sexual relations with a woman Iraqi employee on embassy property, which is against security regulations. He was also accused of sexual harassment more than 18 months ago by an Iraqi cleaner and two cooks at the embassy.

The news will embarrass David Miliband and the Foreign Office, which allowed KBR to conduct its own investigation into the original claims – denied by the manager concerned. This decision was criticised as a serious conflict of interest: the three Iraqis who filed the allegations were never questioned and lost their jobs, while the man and other British KBR managers accused of involvement in the harassment were returned to their posts.

The Foreign Office confirmed this week that a KBR contractor had been suspended from his duties and flown out of the country after the fresh allegations. KBR is once more being allowed to conduct its own inquiry, but this time two Foreign Office officials are part of the team.

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article5705155.ece