Page 200 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

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Hussein, Saddam (1937– )———177

By the mid-1970s, al-Bakr was largely a figurehead; the nerve agent sarin and cancer-inducing aflatoxin.
Hussein truly ran the country. In 1979, after al-Bakr Tens of thousands of people are believed to have been
made a belated attempt to regain power, Hussein killed.
forced him to step down and made himself president In addition to his actions against his own people,
of Iraq. Hussein has supported various terrorist groups. The
Abu Nidal Organization (ANO) operated from Iraq
from 1974 to 1983 and undertook attacks against
CONNECTIONS TO TERRORISM
Syria at Hussein’s behest. The leader of the ANO is
Hussein has been likened to Joseph Stalin, and Iraq believed to have returned to Iraq in 1999, and Hussein
under his rule to Stalinist Russia; the comparison may once again be funding the organization. In the
is apt and useful in expressing the quality of terror late 1980s and early 1990s, Hussein channeled funds
employed by his regime to control the people of Iraq. to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), but
Hussein has apportioned power in Iraq to members the PLO-Iraq connection was suspended following the
of his family, their loyalty guaranteed by his patron- 1991 Gulf War.
age and their fear. Almost every agency or depart- Hussein has also sponsored Abu Abbas, the former
ment within the government reports directly to him or PLO member responsible for dozens of bombings, and
to a member of his family. He has created many intel- Abu Ibrahim, founder of the 15 May Organization,
ligence agencies; their agents are expected to spy not which was responsible for many bombings in the early
only on the Iraqi people but also on other agencies, 1980s. Both men are believed to be currently living in
and then report directly to Hussein. The slightest dis- Baghdad.
sent or protest against his rule is considered treason In addition to his actions against his own people,
and often carries a sentence of death. Iraqi security Hussein has supported various terrorist groups. The
forces routinely use physical and psychological Abu Nidal Organization (ANO) operated from Iraq
torture to extort confessions or information from from 1974 to 1983 and undertook attacks against
prisoners, and Hussein has ordered extra-judicial exe- Syria at Hussein’s behest. The leader of the ANO is
cutions. This overarching state terror is designed to believed to have returned to Iraq in 1999, and Hussein
impress upon the Iraqi people that there is no alter- may once again be funding the organization. In the
native to Hussein’s rule. late 1980s and early 1990s, Hussein channeled funds
Despite Hussein’s best efforts, however, two to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), but
groups have openly resisted his regime: Kurds and the PLO-Iraq connection was suspended following the
Shiite Muslims. The Shiites form the majority of 1991 Gulf War.
Iraq’s population; their exclusion from political power Hussein has also sponsored Abu Abbas, the former
by minority Sunni Muslims forms the basis of their PLO member responsible for dozens of bombings, and
dissent. Several Shiite leaders have been imprisoned Abu Ibrahim, founder of the 15 May Organization,
and executed. which was responsible for many bombings in the early
The Kurds, a mostly Muslim ethnic group with 1980s. Both men are believed to be currently living in
their own language and culture distinct from Arab Baghdad.
Iraqis, have long desired a separate state. Since the In 1990, Iraq invaded and annexed neighboring
1920s, they have engaged in periodic rebellions. In Kuwait. Believing that Iraq intended to invade Saudi
the mid-1970s, Hussein began a campaign (which Arabia and take control of the region’s oil supplies,
continues today) to nullify Kurd resistance by President George Bush organized a multinational
forcibly removing Kurdish people from their homes coalition to seek Kuwait’s freedom and restoration of
in northern Iraq and moving them to southern Iraq. its legitimate government, and he ordered U.S. troops
Some observers contend that the relocation cam- to protect Saudi Arabia at the Saudis’request. In 1991,
paign amounts to an attempt to eliminate the Kurds after U.S. and coalition forces smashed through Iraq’s
and constitutes genocide. In 1988, during the last defenses, Allied and Iraqi military leaders negotiated
days of the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), Hussein a cease-fire, and Iraq agreed to abide by all of the U.N.
bombed dozens of Kurdish villages with a still- resolutions passed to protect Kuwait’s independence.
unknown mixture of chemicals, possibly including The cease-fire terms also required Iraq to accept the