{{Short description|Iraqi politician (1940–2021)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Fawzi Mutlaq al-Rawi |native_name = فوزي مطلق الراوي |native_name_lang = |image = <!--If this is specified, "image" should not be.--> |alt = |order = |office = Alleged Leader of the [[Ba'ath Party (Syrian-dominated faction)#Iraq|Iraqi Regional Command]] of the [[Ba'ath Party (Syrian-dominated faction)|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party]] | 1blankname = National&nbsp;Secretary | 1namedata = [[Abdullah al-Ahmar]] |term_start = 2003 |term_end = 2021 |head = |predecessor = ? |successor = [[Mouteb Shenan]] |birth_date = {{birth date text|1940}} |birth_place = [[Falluja]], [[Al Anbar Governorate|Dulaim]], [[Kingdom of Iraq]] |death_date = {{death date and age|2021|06|28|1940|df=y}} |death_place = [[Damascus]], Syria |citizenship = [[Iraq]]i |party = [[Ba'ath Party (Syrian-dominated faction)#Iraq|Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party]] |nickname = Fawzi Isma'il al-Husayni al-Rawi<br>Abu Akram<br>Abu Firas }}

'''Fawzi Mutlaq al-Rawi''' ({{langx|ar|فوزي مطلق الراوي}}, 1940 – 28 June 2021), also known by his aliases as '''Abu Akram''' or '''Abu Firas''', was an Iraqi politician who was allegedly, according to the US, the leader of the Syrian-led Ba'athist movement in [[Iraq]].<ref name=code>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LpcV3VrEnC4C&q=Fawzi+al-Rawi&pg=PA603|title=Code of Federal Regulations, Title 31, Money and Finance: Treasury, Pt. 500-End, Revised as of July 1 2010|date=2010-09-28|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=9780160860034|language=en}}</ref>

==Early life== Fawzi Mutlaq al-Rawi was born in 1940 in [[Falluja]] in the governorate of [[Al Anbar Governorate|Dulaim]], [[Iraq]].<ref name=code/>

==Iraq War== According to the US Treasury, Rawi was appointed to his position as Chairman of the Iraqi branch of the Syrian led Ba'ath movement by Syrian President [[Bashar al-Assad]] in 2003. In 2006 Rawi was number 13 of the Iraqi government's 41 most wanted, accused of funding and leading terrorist operations in Anbar province.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-releases-most-wanted-list/ Iraq Releases Most-Wanted List] - [[CBS]], 3 July 2006</ref>

In late 2007 the US Treasury designated Rawi on the accusation of providing financial and material support to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The US Treasury Department also accused Rawi of being supported by the Syrian government and having close ties to Syrian intelligence agencies. Rawi was accused of having twice met with a former commander of the Ba'athist militant group [[Jaysh Muhammad]] in 2004, and having told the commander that the group would receive material support from the Syrian government. According to the US Treasury Rawi in 2005 helped transfer $300,000 to members of al-Qaeda in Iraq, alongside vehicle borne IED's, rifles, and suicide bombers. Rawi also allegedly discussed operational issues with representatives of the al-Qaeda leadership in Iraq, such as attacks against the US Embassy and within the [[Green Zone]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Tabarani |first=Gabriel G. |title=Jihad's New Heartlands: Why the West Has Failed to Contain Islamic Fundamentalism |year=2011 |publisher=AuthorHouse |isbn=978-1-4567-7771-5 |page=254}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Needs independent research for corroboration and/or confirmation. Sources other than the US government.|date=April 2019}} However, these allegations were never confirmed and Rawi hasn't been heard from since the [[Iraq War]].

In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nour al-Maliki in January 2009, [[David Petraeus]], Commander of United States Central Command, called Rawi one of the more dangerous members of the insurgency linked with the former Ba'athist government, although also downplayed the risk posed by such groups when compared to that posed by al-Qaeda in Iraq.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Despite claims by the US Treasury that Rawi was the leader of the Syrian led Ba'athist movement in [[Iraq]], the UN as well as Al-Sabah reported that [[Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed]] was elected to lead the party in Syria.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1518/materials/summaries/individual/muhammad-yunis-ahmad|title=MUHAMMAD YUNIS AHMAD {{!}} United Nations Security Council|website=www.un.org|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jamestown.org/program/reviving-the-iraqi-baath-a-profile-of-general-muhammad-yunis-al-ahmad/|title=Reviving the Iraqi Ba'ath: A Profile of General Muhammad Yunis al-Ahmad|website=Jamestown|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> Rawi is never mentioned in either report.

According to the U.S. as of 2010, Rawi was allegedly believed to be living in a Syrian government-owned apartment in the [[Mezzeh]] neighborhood of Damascus, and working out of the Syrian Ba'ath Party Command Building in the al-Halbuni District of the city.<ref name=code/>{{Better source needed|reason=Needs independent research for corroboration and/or confirmation. Sources other than the US government.|date=April 2019}}

Rawi died in Damascus on 28 June 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=فوزي الراوي يغادرنا |url=https://arab-newz.org/فوزي-الراوي-يغادرنا/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513224001/https://arab-newz.org/%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%A7/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=13 May 2024 |access-date=13 May 2024 |publisher=Arab Newz |date=29 June 2021}}</ref>{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed|date=December 2024}}

==See also== *[[List of fugitives from justice who disappeared]]

==References== <references/> {{Ba'ath Party}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rawi, Fawzi Mutlaq al-}} [[Category:1940 births]] [[Category:2021 deaths]] [[Category:Fugitives]] [[Category:Members of the Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region]] [[Category:People from Al Anbar Governorate]] [[Category:People of the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)]] [[Category:People from Fallujah]]