For two years, Mohammed Allawi has served the Iraqi News Agency as a reporter covering the United Nations in New York, but lately something’s set the government of his host country off, and they want him to leave.

Allawi received a letter from U.S. officials declaring him “harmful to U.S. interests,” and giving him, his wife and five kids 15 days to vacate American soil. Whether concerns stem from Allawi reporting a lack of UN support for the Bush war, or that his name is similar to “Atta,” except with two ‘l’s and a ‘wi,’ is anyone’s guess, and the U.S. won’t clarify.

Iraq ambassador Mohammed al-Douri describes Allawi as a “very polite and decent man,” and suspects U.S. claims have little basis in fact. “He’s always in his office or with colleagues,” al-Douri said. “I don’t see how he can be a threat.” Al-Douri plans to see if any recourse can be taken. :

» Scott Saxon