Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri

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'Izzat (Ezzet) Ibrahim ad-Douri (born July 1, 1942) was an Iraqi military commander and was vice-president and deputy chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council until the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.[1][2][3] Following the execution of former President Saddam Hussein on December 30, 2006, 'Izzat was confirmed as the new leader of the banned Iraqi Baath Party on 3 January 2007.[4]

His family hails from the region around Tikrit, where his father worked as an ice seller, he is apparently known as The Ice Man because in his youth he sold blocks of ice from a donkey cart and later worked as a teacher.[5] At the time of the invasion, 'Izzat, along with President Saddam Hussein and Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, were the three surviving plotters who brought the Ba'ath Party to power in a coup in 1968.[3] Following the coup, he continued to retain a prominent position in the Ba'ath regime. This was aided by the fact that 'Izzat came from the same clan area as Saddam and had not disposed of a power base; thus he did not pose a threat to Saddam's ambitions.[3]

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[edit] Pre-Iraq War

It is alleged that he played a key role in the chemical shelling of rebellious Kurdish villagers near the city of Halabja in 1988 that resulted in the deaths of 5,000 civilians.[2] Following the Gulf War, he was frequently sent abroad to represent Iraqi interests.[2] His daughter was briefly married to Uday Hussein al-Tikriti, a son of President Saddam Hussein. But due to Uday's continuous feuds with his uncles he later divorced her. In 1998, he survived an assassination attempt against him in Karbala.[3]

In 1999, while in Austria, where he went unofficially to treat his leukemia, 'Izzat was implicated in war crimes. The Austrian opposition demanded that he be arrested, pointing to his role in Iraq's regime, but he was allowed by the government to leave the country.[3]

[edit] Post-Iraq War

On March 20, 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq, leading to the toppling of the regime of President Saddam Hussein on April 9. Following the fall of Baghdad, 'Izzat went into hiding. US officials claimed that he was involved in the subsequent Iraqi insurgency against U.S. forces, directing and funding guerrilla attacks as well as brokering an alliance between Ba'athist insurgents and militant Islamists. The U.S. authorities issued a 10 million USD reward for any information leading to his capture.[2][3] Other reports, however, suggested that he was suffering from leukemia and was directing all his energy to avoiding capture.

He is the "King of Clubs" in the "most-wanted Iraqi playing cards." Following the capture of Saddam Hussein, he became the most wanted man in Iraq, though as time went on, he became overshadowed by the then leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (since deceased) Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.[2][3]

[edit] Iraqi Insurgency

Then Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz named 'Izzat as the leader of the Iraqi resistance on 23 June 2004, insisting that the Iraqi resistance was not an insurgency, but a continuation of the former Ba'athist government. 'Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri is especially associated with the sunni insurgent front Jaysh Muhammad.[3]

It was announced by Iraq's defense ministry on September 5, 2004, that he had been captured in the town of Tikrit. However, later medical tests showed that the man in custody was a relative of 'Izzat Ibrahim, and not 'Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri himself.[3]

[edit] Mistaken Death Report

Several Ba'athist web sites claimed that 'Izzat had died on November 11, 2005, and Al Arabiya and the BBC reported these claims without specifying the sources.[2] Other users of these web sites subsequently posted denials. The Jordanian magazine Al Majd claims to have interviewed 'Izzat in an English translation of the interview published on December 18. A $10 million reward offer from the United States for capture or proof of death remains in effect.[2]

However, later in November 2005, the Iraqi Ba'ath Party's political media and publishing office announced that the earlier reports were in error and that 'Izzat was, in fact, still alive. His family members have also released statements to the press that he is still alive.[2]

[edit] Speeches and Interviews

On March 27, 2006, al-Jazeera broadcast a tape purportedly of 'Izzat speaking to the Arab League summit in Khartoum, Sudan, several days prior. The speaker on the tape, identified by al-Jazeera as 'Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri (sic), calls for Arab support for the Sunni insurgents in Iraq, which he describes as "the sole legitimate representative of the Iraqi people." [1].

'Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri more recently gave an interview to Time magazine on July 24, 2006, through written questions and answers passed between Time and 'Izzat by Iraqi intermediaries.[6] In the interview 'Izzat claimed that his Iraqi Army remained in command of 95% of the Iraqi Resistance and attacked al-Zarqawi's tactics, accusing him of playing into "hateful sectarianism" and called on his fighters to direct their attacks against the occupation forces.[6]

[edit] Leader of the Ba'ath Party

Following the execution of former President of Iraq and leader of the Iraqi Baath Party Saddam Hussein, 'Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri was a leading candidate to succeed him as Leader of the Iraqi Baath Party and had been endorsed by a previously unknown group calling itself Baghdad Citizens Gathering,[7][8] on 3 January 2007 the website of the banned Iraqi Baath Party confirmed that he is now the new leader of the Baath Party.[9] although younger figures such as Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed al-Muwali are thought likely to be serious rivals for his position especially as Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri is believed to be ill with diabetes.[10] Increasing Syrian influence in the Iraqi Baath Party may well have a major effect on who is chosen to lead Baathist parts of the Insurgency and there is a risk of fragmentation.[11]

His whereabouts are not known, although it is believed he spent some time after the 2003 Iraq War in hiding in Syria. Some press reports in August and September 2007 claimed that he and other Baathist leaders had secretly met US officials and representatives of the Iraqi government with a view to bringing the Ba'ath Party into the political process in the run up to withdrawal of Coalition forces from Iraq, and to secure their assistance against Al-Qaeda activities inside Iraq.[12][13][14]

In early October 2007, the formation of an alliance of 22 insurgent groups called the Supreme Command for Jihad and Liberation was announced, and Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri was declared its leader.[15]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Saddam's No. 2 seeks help for insurgency", USA Today, March 27, 2006. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "US queries 'death' of Saddam aide", BBC, November 13, 2005. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri / Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri. Global Security.
  4. ^ "Saddam aide is new Baath leader", BBC News, 3 January 2007.
  5. ^ Wanted: the iceman: the last of Saddam's inner circle still at liberty continues to taunt his would-be captors with frequent sightings and leads a ruthless band of Ba'athist insurgents., Access My Library, 1 December 2006
  6. ^ a b "Exclusive: Insurgent Ba'athist In His Own Words", Time, July 24, 2006. 
  7. ^ "A group of Iraqi Baathists pledges allegiance to Saddam's fugitive deputy, naming him leader", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 31 December 2006.
  8. ^ "Jordan Baathists pledge loyalty to Saddam deputy", Jerusalem Post, 31 January 2006.
  9. ^ "Saddam aide is new Baath leader", BBC News, 3 January 2007.
  10. ^ Wanted: the iceman: the last of Saddam's inner circle still at liberty continues to taunt his would-be captors with frequent sightings and leads a ruthless band of Ba'athist insurgents., Access My Library, 1 December 2006
  11. ^ "Battle for New Leader Likely", The Guardian, 1 January 2007.
  12. ^ Saddam's party 'ready to help US withdrawal' Daily Telegraph, 24 August 2007
  13. ^ Allawi: US Secretly Met Baathists Alalam News, 7 September 2007
  14. ^ "U.S. officials contacted members of Baath party to convince them to join politics, official says", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 6 September 2007.
  15. ^ "Nationalist Iraqi insurgent groups form new coalition ready to talk to U.S.", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 3 October 2007.

[edit] See also