Afghanistan Issues Arrest Warrant For Central Bank Chief

Head of Afghanistan's central bank, Abdul Qadir Fitrat

Afghanistan has issued an arrest warrant for the former governor of its central bank over an investigation of corruption targeting well-connected figures.

Afghanistan's Deputy Attorney General Rahmatullah Nazari said the warrant for Abdul Qadir Fitrat -- who is currently in the United States -- was issued to Interpol and to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

"We look forward to their cooperation in returning him -- the governor of the central bank -- to Afghanistan," he said. "We have one month for the whole investigation process, and we hope he will return in this period."

Fitrat said on July 27 that he had resigned from his post, and that his life is in danger over his investigation into the near collapse last year of Kabulbank, Afghanistan's largest private bank.

Kabulbank was taken over last year by Afghanistan's central bank after claims it gave away nearly half a billion dollars in unsecured, undocumented loans to top Afghan officials, including relatives of President Hamid Karzai.

Fitrat, who has permanent residency in the United States, said he will not be returning to Afghanistan.

compiled from agency reports