Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi (born 1968) is an Iraqi chemical engineer who defected from Iraq to Germany in 1999 after fleeing his position in the military-industrial sector. Codenamed 'Curveball' by the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), he provided detailed but entirely fabricated testimony about Iraq's alleged mobile biological weapons program, claiming direct involvement in their production at a Baghdad facility. Despite BND doubts about his credibility—including his history of alcohol abuse and mental health issues—his deceptions were passed to Western allies and used by US Secretary of State Colin Powell in a 2003 UN presentation to justify the US-led invasion of Iraq. In 2011, al-Janabi broke cover in media interviews, admitting he invented the claims out of personal hatred for Saddam Hussein and a desire to provoke his overthrow. He expressed shock that his unverified stories were presented as fact by Powell but voiced no regret, stating the ends justified the means. Al-Janabi has resided in Germany under witness protection since his defection, raising a family while maintaining a low profile. His disclosures highlighted significant intelligence failures leading to the Iraq War, drawing widespread condemnation for contributing to a conflict that caused immense loss of life.