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| Iraq | ||
| "Hussein Family Reunion:" Another Saddam Half-Brother in Custody | ||
| 2003-04-17 | ||
| EFL Saddam Hussein's half brother was nabbed by U.S. special forces Thursday as coalition troops continued to track down key members of the deposed Iraqi regime. One American commander said Barzan Ibrahim Hasan had "extensive knowledge" of the toppled regime's inner workings as an advisor of Saddam and former head of Iraqi intelligence. Another one of Saddam's half brothers, Watban Ibrahim Hasan, was nabbed Sunday, while the third - Sab'awi Ibrahim Hasan - reportedly has fled to Syria. All three are wanted by the coalition for various war and humanitarian crimes, including rape, torture and using brutal force to repress uprisings against the Iraqi regime after the 1991 Gulf War. Barzan was captured alone in Baghdad with the help of U.S. Marines and tips from Iraqi residents. Barzan was the five of clubs in the deck of 55 playing cards the U.S. military issued to troops with pictures of wanted Iraqi officials last week. The deck includes what is left of the so-called "dirty dozen" - the name the Bush administration gave Saddam and his closest officials in the fall of 2002 as it prepared prosecutions for chemical attacks, forced deportations, mass killings, torture, and other alleged crimes against humanity. Barzan, the youngest of Saddam's half brothers at age 53, ran the Iraqi intelligence service, the Mukhabarat, from 1979 to 1983 and was Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva from 1988 to 1997. As head of the Mukhabarat, he expanded Iraq's terror machine, carrying out dozens of operations overseas against Iraqi dissidents. Barzan may be charged with the disappearance and execution of several thousand Kurds, as well as murders and assassinations abroad. Sounds like a swell guy with a song in his heart. His home west of Baghdad was targeted by six U.S. "smart bombs" last week. Some news reports said Barzan was killed in that bombing. Remember, Barzan, it's not paranoia when people are really out to get you.
Precocious little fella, ain't he? But his unruly behavior, tendency to drink and constant womanizing had Saddam seeing red. So the dude likes to party--why is that a problem? Disputes arose between Barzan and Saddam in 1983 when Barzan was in his intelligence role, according to Globalsecurity.org. All three half brothers were demoted from their positions. But Barzan was rehabilitated when Saddam made him Iraq's representative to the United Nations in Geneva in 1988. While in Geneva, Barzan was also responsible for the regime's finances abroad. He was part of the Iraqi delegation that met U.S. Secretary of State James Baker in Geneva in January 1991 in a last effort to head off the first Gulf War. He wasn't well received in Geneva's large diplomatic community. The Swiss do have standards, you know. Barzan . . . fell from grace again in late 1998 after apparently claiming he would succeed Saddam as leader of Iraq, according to Globalsecurity.org. Barzan was recalled home and interrogated by Qusay. In 1999, Saddam's family accused Barzan of plotting to overthrow the regime, and he fled the country but later returned. Can you say "dysfunctional family?"
Hopefully, there's a long interrogation and a short trip to the gallows in his future. | ||
| Posted by:Mike |
| #3 Supposedly this half-brother's daughter was married to Uday. I guess this family doesn't take dates to their reunions, they meet them there. Eeewww! No wonder they're nuts! |
| Posted by: Baba Yaga 2003-04-17 20:19:06 |
| #2 So the dude likes to party--why is that a problem? Problems arose when he made fun of the blonde woman adorning one wall of Saddam's bedroom. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2003-04-17 18:04:15 |
| #1 "Hey, I thought Uday had you killed!" "No way, man! I thought Uday had YOU killed!" [in concert]: "Woah!" |
| Posted by: FormerLiberal 2003-04-17 16:23:34 |