Al-Azzawi's testimony sheds light on the controversial narrative surrounding the Halabja attack, which has been a focal point in discussions about chemical warfare in Iraq.
The relationship between Saddam Hussein and foreign leaders, particularly Thatcher, highlights the geopolitical tensions of the time and their impact on Iraq's international relations.
In a recent episode of Al Jazeera's program "Witness to the Era," former Iraqi intelligence chief Fadhel Al-Azzawi made significant revelations about the actions of Saddam Hussein's regime during the Iran-Iraq War and the infamous Halabja chemical attack. Al-Azzawi denied that Saddam's regime was responsible for the bombing of Halabja in March 1988, attributing the attack to Iran instead. He stated that officials from the Iraqi military and government during Saddam's rule were tried and maintained that Iran was behind the chemical weapons attack, which has long been a point of contention in historical narratives surrounding the conflict.
Al-Azzawi also discussed the execution of British spy Farzad Bazoft, who was arrested on charges of treason. He revealed that British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sent a letter to Saddam requesting Bazoft's release, but the request was met with hostility from Saddam, who ultimately decided to execute the spy. Al-Azzawi indicated that this decision strained relations between Iraq and the UK, prompting Thatcher to seek American intervention against Saddam's regime during the Gulf crisis.
Furthermore, Al-Azzawi provided insights into the dynamics of Saddam's family, particularly focusing on his sons Uday and Qusay. He recounted a violent incident in which Uday killed Saddam's private secretary, Kamel Hanna, after a drunken altercation. Despite Uday's impulsive nature, Al-Azzawi noted that he survived an assassination attempt by his father, who shot him multiple times in a fit of rage. The former intelligence chief's testimony illustrates the complex and often brutal power struggles within Saddam's inner circle.
