AN Australian man arrested in Iraq who told authorities he was looking for a wife clearly raised greater concern from Iraqi and coalition officials, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today. Mr Downer said the man, who came to Australia in 2003 as a refugee and was granted Australian citizenship in 2005, had told Australian consular officials in Baghdad that he returned to Iraq to find a wife. But he said Iraqi authorities and the coalition forces clearly had greater concerns. "That is what he has told our consular officials, that is what he says," Mr Downer said on ABC radio. "There obviously is among the Iraqi authorities and coalition forces some greater concern, that is why he is being detained and the case is being investigated. He wouldn't have been detained if there wasn't at least some prima facie concern," Mr Downer said. "If it turns out all he is looking for is a missus and he's turned up in the wrong place at the wrong time, then he'll be released."
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said the 39-year-old man was detained by coalition authorities in Baghdad in mid-October. He was being held under the authority of The UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1637 for engaging in anti-coalition activity.
Australian consular officials met the man on November 10 and spoke to him by telephone on December 15. Newspaper reports identified the man as Warya Kanie, who left Adelaide about seven months ago, telling his family he was going to look for a new wife in Iraq. Mr Downer said the man could be detained for up to 90 days and would then have to be released or referred to the Iraqi Central Court for prosecution.