US had requested Iraq expulsions last month

Germany has ordered four Iraqi diplomats to leave the country on suspicion that they were involved in activities “incompatible with their diplomatic status”

The expulsion order, calling on the four to leave ”quickly,” was issued yesterday, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Berlin.

“We have our own information that they were involved in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status,” he added. He refused to elaborate on those activities or to identify the diplomats involved.

Earlier this month, Germany said it was among countries that have received a request from the United States to expel alleged Iraqi agents, but it did not say how many Iraqis were involved or who they were. The spokesman declined to say whether the expulsions were related to that request.

Washington has identified 300 Iraqis in 60 countries – some of them operating as diplomats out of Iraqi embassies – whom it wants expelled. They argue that the alleged agents could attack American interests overseas.

It wasn’t clear whether the four Iraqis – among six diplomats in Germany – had already left. Calls to the Iraqi embassy in Berlin went unanswered.

Germany has been a vocal opponent of military action against Baghdad, a stance that has strained ties with Washington over recent months.