UK officers say body of 'Chemical Ali' found

8.00pm


LONDON - British military officers say they have found the body of "Chemical Ali," Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's cousin and commander of the southern region, Sky television reported today.

In what would be a major blow to Saddam's power structure, Sky said British officers "have confirmed the death during a briefing earlier this morning...that's the news we are getting, that he is in fact dead."

US and British forces earlier said Ali Hassan al-Majid, in his 50s, was believed killed when US planes bombed his house on Saturday. Britain's Defence Ministry said it could not confirm the report.

Al-Majid was governor of Kuwait during Iraq's occupation in 1990-1991. He was linked to a bloody crackdown on Shiites in southern Iraq following an uprising from the 1991 Gulf War.

In 1998 Al-Majid led a campaign against rebellious Kurds, killing about 100,000, mostly civilians.

Herald Feature: Iraq war