Chalabi, a cousin and rival of interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, was not immediately available for comment. The satellite channel quoted Shaalan as saying Chalabi would be handed to Interpol over his conviction in absentia by a Jordanian court in 1992 of embezzling millions from Petra Bank, whose 1989 collapse shook Jordan's political and financial system. Chalabi, who founded and ran the bank during a long period when he lived in the country, denies any wrongdoing.

"Our measures will start after Eid," Shalaan said. The Muslim feast began on Jan. 20 and ends on Sunday in most Arab states. Shaalan told London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published on Friday he would order the arrest after Chalabi accused the defense minister in an interview of stealing $500 million from the ministry and posted documents on a Web site accusing Shaalan of links to Saddam Hussein's government. Chalabi was the best-connected Iraqi opposition leader in Washington but after Saddam's fall became a vocal critic of U.S. policy in Iraq.