‘Comical Ali’ reappears
Former Iraqi information minister ‘Comical Ali’ has made his first televised appearance since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, who was given the nickname ‘Comical Ali’ for his outrageous briefings to reporters during the Iraq conflict, appeared on Al-Arabiya and Abu Dhabi TV on Thursday.
He claimed that he had surrendered himself to US forces, who had released him after questioning.
Looking thinner and greyer than his last public appearance three months ago, Mr Sahhaf declined to tell the Arab TV stations about the final days before Baghdad fell, simply saying: ‘The time is not yet ripe to say what happened. When history’s ready, then we can talk about it.’
Earlier this week, US forces reported capturing Mr Sahhaf. However, US Central Command has refused to confirm whether or not he had been interrogated and released.
The former Iraqi minister had reportedly been hiding out at a relative’s house in a Baghdad suburb watching satellite television, which was banned under Saddam Hussein.
Mr Sahhaf became a notorious figure during the Iraq war for his increasingly farcical speeches about Iraq’s supposed routing of coalition forces.
As allied troops entered Baghdad he appeared on television, stating: ‘We slaughtered them and we will continue to slaughter them. God is grilling their stomachs in hell.’
In his interview yesterday he defended his reports, saying the information had come from ‘authentic sources – many authentic sources’.
He was rumoured to have killed himself after the fall of Baghdad, reportedly feeling lost after Saddam’s regime ended.
Mr Sahhaf was the last member of Saddam Hussein’s government to leave his post and delivered his last speeches on Iraqi television as bombs and gunfire in Baghdad sounded behind him.
He denied being part of Saddam Hussein’s inner circle, saying he was a professional doing his job.
Mr Sahhaf did not feature in the deck of cards issued to American troops of the most wanted members of the former regime, though US military leaders are eager to question him.
Al-Arabiya TV has announced that it will air a longer version of the interview with the former information minister on Friday.
