Galloway to face US critics on home turf

• Justice Department to make case against Galloway's alleged oil profitting

• Claim documents show money transferred to Galloway's ex-wife

• Lawyer of former Iraqi foreign minister is said to deny truth of allegations

Key quote

"...Mr Galloway will be brought to justice" - Senator Norm Coleman

Story in full

GEORGE Galloway will mount a crusade to clear his name in the United States after American prosecutors confirmed they were considering a criminal investigation into allegations over his role in Iraq's oil-for-food scandal.

Yesterday the US Justice Department appeared to have taken up the Respect MP's call to "bring on" a legal battle after reports that Mr Galloway had been referred to state, federal, and local prosecutors.

This follows the submission of a dossier from Senator Norm Coleman, the senior Republican, who was publicly humiliated when Mr Galloway gave him a verbal drubbing before his own committee in May.

The documents purported to show funds being transferred from the Iraqi oil-for-food scheme through Fawaz Zureikat, a Jordanian businessman, into the account of Mr Galloway's estranged wife, Dr Amineh Abu-Zayyad, and the Marian Appeal, Mr Galloway's charity.

Also included are separate documents from the United Nations which identify additional payments to Dr Abu-Zayyad.

Senator Coleman said at the weekend that he was "fairly confident Mr Galloway will be brought to justice" and that this would be the "final nail in the coffin".

A US Justice Department spokesman confirmed the six allegations would be considered, saying: "We're obligated to investigate any potentially criminal matter brought to our attention, review it and take it from there."

However, the prospect of a jury trial and prison sentence, if the perjury charges are proven, did not appear to faze Mr Galloway's supporters.

Ron McKay, his spokesman, insisted the former Glasgow MP would head to the United States in any case to face his critics directly. "We will be going to the States in the next few weeks, charges or not, to answer any questions head-on," Mr McKay told The Scotsman.

The press officer, who was also implicated in the UN report, added the "evidence" against his boss centred around claims that his wife had benefited from the Iraqi regime, rather than Mr Galloway - a fact acknowledged by Senator Coleman, who still insists the MP would have known that his wife was in receipt of cheques from Mr Zureikat. This, Mr McKay claimed, was double standards.

Supporters have been buoyed by a denial of the allegations from the lawyer of Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi foreign minister, whose testimony had been crucial to link Mr Galloway to oil payments.

Plans to release Mr Galloway's book, The Battle for Bethnal Green and Bow, have been put on hold - perhaps to ensure it gets maximum publicity when Mr Galloway heads to the US.