Twenty years in a wall

Iraqi man ends 20 years in hiding

After two decades in hiding, an Iraqi man has finally emerged back into the real world - squinting at the unaccustomed light.

Twenty-one years ago, Saddam Hussein placed an execution order on Jawad Amir for supporting an outspoken Shia cleric.

Mr Amir escaped - not into a far-off town or neighbouring country, but into a space sandwiched between two walls in his parents' home.

He said for the whole of his hiding he never left that small, dark space and had only a tiny peephole to view the outside world.

Few possessions

"When I felt the danger I escaped to my parents' house, then I prepared my hiding place to keep away from the people so no one could ever report me to the regime," he explained.

Wow. He's a lucky man, but what a price he paid. The world will not miss Saddam and his henchmen. Let's hope we don't replace him with another strongman.

Steve Gilliard

Posted May 26, 2003 03:46 PM | Comments (11)