The family of an alleged al-Qaeda leader from Iraq’s Babil province has been receiving a pension through the Martyrs Foundation for the past 15 years, according to Iraqi lawmaker Haider Mohammed Kazem al-Mutairi.

Al-Mutairi published documents on Thursday which he said show that the individual had been officially registered as a “martyr” and was receiving benefits through the foundation. The documents also identify four other individuals from Babil who were accused of terrorism and had previously been granted similar status before their decisions were later revoked.

According to the lawmaker, the case remains under review by a specialized committee within the Martyrs Foundation, which is continuing to examine the file and determine whether further action is required.

The allegations have renewed concerns over the screening and verification procedures used to approve beneficiaries of state compensation programs. Similar claims surfaced in 2024 when a Babil lawmaker told Shafaq News that five individuals accused of terrorism in the province were receiving pensions through the foundation.

Earlier, in 2021, the commander of al-Anbar Operations Command stated that more than 800 terrorists and suicide bombers were benefiting from payments linked to the al-Anbar Martyrs Association.

Established in 2006, the Martyrs Foundation is Iraq’s official institution responsible for supporting the families of victims of crimes committed under the former Baath Party regime, as well as the families of martyrs and wounded members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and other victims of terrorism.