IN A flat landscape of mud fields and flat-topped farmhouses, the palace of Chemical Ali stands out for miles. Its crenellated tower of yellowish stone rises above a stand of green date palms. It is a symbol of dominance and power. Or at least it used to be. Ali doesn’t live here any more.
If he's not dead, he's sleeping under a bush these days...
Only the name of Saddam Hussein himself strikes as much terror into the hearts of ordinary Iraqis as Ali Hassan al-Majid. After organising the gassing of the Kurds in 1986, he is better known as Chemical Ali. He is Saddam’s cousin and right-hand man. A man who has killed many and helped to terrorise a nation. But for the looters of his mansion on the outskirts of Basra their need has overcome their fear. His palace has been comprehensively robbed. Even the fittings have gone from the walls. The light switches have been ripped out, the window panes gone. The air conditioning units have disappeared from the walls and there is not a scrap of furniture left. |