Ballot box storage site catches fire in Baghdad after recount ordered

A storage site housing half ofBaghdad's ballot boxes from Iraq's parliamentary election in Mayhas caught fire, just days after parliament called for anationwide recount of votes, citing allegations of widespreadviolations.

Authorities did not say whether they believe the fire was anaccident or had been set, but its timing heightened tensionsover the election.

It was not immediately clear how the fire would affect therecount. An Interior Ministry spokespersonsaid later the fire was confined to one of four warehouses at the site, and statetelevision said the ballot boxes were being moved to another location under heavy security.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose electoral alliancecame third in the election, said on Tuesday that a government investigation had found serious violations and blamed Iraq'sindependent elections commission for most of them.

Parliament mandated a full manual recount the next day. TheIndependent High Elections Commission had used electronic vote-counting devices to tally the results.

Arecount could undermine nationalist cleric Muqtadaal-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States who also opposes Iran's sway in Iraq. Sadr's bloc won the largest numberof seats in the election.

One of Sadr's top aides expressed concern that some partieswere trying to sabotage the cleric's victory.

Extent of damage unclear

The fire took place at a Trade Ministry site in Baghdadwhere the election commission stored the ballot boxes from al-Rusafa, the half of Baghdad on the eastern side of the Tigrisriver. Baghdad is Iraq's most populous province, accounting for71 seats out of the Iraqi parliament's 329.

The site was divided into four warehouses, said InteriorMinistry spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Saad Maan. Only one housingelectronic equipment and documents had burned down, he said.

Firefighters were trying to stop the fire from spreading tothe remaining three warehouses, where the ballot boxes arestored, he said.

"It is possible there were also some ballot boxes in thewarehouse that caught fire, but most of the important boxes are in the three warehouses where the fire has been controlled," hesaid in a video message from the site of the fire.

The law mandating a manual recount also mandated the boardof the election commission be replaced by judges. Earlier onSunday, the Supreme Judicial Council, Iraq's highest judicialauthority, named the judges who will replace thecommissioners.

The council also named judges to replace the commission'slocal chiefs in each of Iraq's 18 provinces, another measure mandated by parliament.

The board of commissioners has said it would appeal againstthe law forcing the recount.