IRAQ/EGYPT: HOME VIDEOS SHOT BY SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PERSONAL CAMERAMAN AND OBTAINED BY REUTERS GIVE AN UNPRECEDENTED LOOK AT THE FAMILY LIFE OF SADDAM

Record ID: 169505

  • Title: IRAQ/EGYPT: HOME VIDEOS SHOT BY SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PERSONAL CAMERAMAN AND OBTAINED BY REUTERS GIVE AN UNPRECEDENTED LOOK AT THE FAMILY LIFE OF SADDAM
  • Date: 17th June 2003
  • Summary: (U6) UNKNOWN LOCATION (FILE - 15 MARCH, 1990) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV OF SADDAM, HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS HAVING PICNIC, PICKING TRUFFLES 3.03 (U6) UNKNOWN LOCATION (FILE - 28, APRIL 1991) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 2. SLV/SV SADDAM'S BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH FAMILY AT PALACE SADDAM, HIS WIFE (SAJEDA), HIS SONS (OUDAY AND QUSAY) AND HIS DAUGHTERS (RAGHD, RANA AND HALA) AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS 7.21 (U6) UNKNOWN LOCATION (NO KNOWN DATE) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 3. LV/SV SADDAM'S SONS AT HUNTING TRIP ON LAKE IN BAGHDAD 8.54 (U6) UNKNOWN LOCATION, EGYPT (NO KNOWN DATE) (REUTERS -- ACCESS ALL) 4. SLV/SV SADDAM IN EGYPT WITH MUBARAK AT OPERA HOUSE 10.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VARIOUS IRAQ/ EGYPT
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVACVHVXPECQMBNFGJ93FLIR1XT8
  • Story Text: Iraqis have seen Saddam Hussein portrayed in all kinds
    of guises during his rule -- the bold statesman, fearless
    soldier, wise scholar. But never before have they glimpsed
    Saddam the truffle-hunter. A set of home videos shot by Saddam's
    personal cameraman and obtained by Reuters gives an unprecedented look
    at the family life of Saddam as he takes a break from ruling Iraq to
    spend some quality time with his wife and children.



    One video shows Saddam, sporting a brown trilby and
    sunglasses, leading a family expedition to the desert to
    search for truffles.

    His wife Sajida, wearing a voluminous cape and a wide-brimmed hat,
    follows behind with the couple's daughters.

    They scamper around, digging in the sand with special hoes.

    Saddam gives a snort of disgust when he unearths a rather
    small specimen. Turning to his family, he bellows: "Do you
    think Saddam would bother with something so small?"
    The video is dated March 15, 1990 -- just months before
    Saddam ordered his troops to invade Kuwait.

    The eight tapes, obtained by Reuters from a former
    employee of one of Saddam's inner circle, show a variety of
    family occasions -- birthdays, an engagement party, a hunting
    trip, and even a visit to Egypt where Saddam goes to the opera
    with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

    One tape shows Saddam, surrounded by his children and
    grandchildren, celebrating his birthday and cutting into a
    large candle-studded cake.

    Dressed in a brown suit and tie, Saddam whispers in
    Sajida's ear as official photographs are taken, then sits down
    to a hearty meal.

    Saddam uses a knife and fork, while his son Uday stuffs food into
    his mouth with his hands.

    The date is April 28, 1991 -- shortly after Saddam
    brutally crushed Shi'ite and Kurdish uprisings following his
    humiliating defeat in the 1991 Gulf War.

    Baghdad video shops have been doing a roaring trade
    selling looted copies of Saddam's home videos.

    Many Iraqis say they are outraged their former president was
    enjoying himself with his family when so many ordinary Iraqis were
    suffering.

    During his rule, Saddam was sometimes shown on television
    with his family, in carefully stage-managed appearances.

    There is nothing shocking on the tapes -- no footage of
    the wild parties Saddam's notorious sons Uday and Qusay were
    said to enjoy.

    Just a few jarring details in the videos show that this was no
    ordinary family.

    Saddam's sons-in-law Saddam Kamel and Hussein Kamel are
    always shown wearing military fatigues -- even on the truffle
    hunt.

    Both are now dead.

    Five years after the video shows them standing around the birthday
    cake with Saddam, he ordered their murder in revenge for their short
    lived defection to Jordan.




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