Sanaa, 17 Oct. (AKI) - A Yemeni businessman accused of murdering one of Saddam Hussein's relatives earlier this year has been freed after one million dollars in blood money was paid, the Emirates newspaper Gulf News reports. Ali Ahmad Hassan al-Majeed, nephew of Ali Hassan al-Majeed - Saddam's half brother, better known as Chemical Ali - was shot dead in February this year at a Chinese restaurant in the capital Sanaa after a heated argument with a businessman over the former Iraqi dictator. "A curse on your uncle's mustache!"
"No one curses my families mustaches and lives! Go fur your gun, Ahsan!"
"OK" |
A relative of the businessman, Ahsan al-Hadha, told the Emirates newspaper Gulf News that he was released from prison after the issue was settled between the two tribal families following several months of negotiations. The case was settled before coming to court, with no objections from the prosecution. "Our family paid 700,000 dollars to al-Majeed's relatives in return for renunciation of the issue, while 300,000 dollars went towards other things related to the settlement of the issue," the relative said, without giving further details. | I'm sure they'll find "uses" for all that cash |
Witnesses to al-Majeed's killing say he died after attacking al-Hadha, who took out his gun and tried to shoot him, whereupon al-Majeed managed to get the pistol off him. The people working and eating in the restaurant, in the Hadda area of the capital, intervened and stopped the fight, but when al-Hadha got his gun back they say he shot al-Majeed dead. | "Pitched on his head, and pumped full of lead, was Dangerous al-Majeed" |
Yemen's laws are currently an awkward combination of Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law and local tribal customary laws and it is common practice for families to save the life of a relative or buy their freedom by paying blood money to the family of the victim. |