Watban Ibrahim

Watban Ibrahim al-Nassiri (Arabic: وطبان إبراهيم الناصري‎‎; 1952 – 13 August 2015) was a senior Interior Minister of Iraq. He was the half brother of Saddam Hussein and the brother of Barzan al-Tikriti. He was taken into coalition custody 13 April 2003, following his capture as he was attempting to flee into Syria.

Watban Ibrahim al-Nassiri
وطبان ابراهيم الناصري
Interior Minister of Iraq
In office
1991–1995
PresidentSaddam Hussein
Prime MinisterSaddam Hussein
Ahmad Husayn Khudayir as-Samarrai
Muhammad Hamzah az-Zubaydi
Sa'dun Hammadi
Personal details
Born1952
Tikrit, Kingdom of Iraq
Died13 August 2015(2015-08-13) (aged 62–63)
Political partyBa'ath Party
RelationsBarzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti (brother)
Saddam Hussein (half brother)
ChildrenAhmed Watban Ibrahim al-Nassiri

As the half brother of Saddam, Ibrahim was a close advisor to Saddam, being a member of his inner circle whilst also holding several high-profile security apparatus roles. In those roles, it is alleged that he took part in the genocidal Al-Anfal Campaign against the Kurds in Northern Iraq. He was given the job of Interior Minister in 1991, and in that role he is accused of having overseen the detention, torture, and executions of hundreds of prisoners.[1] Some of those executions were reportedly taped with copies kept at the ministry. In this role he also was involved in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in Iraq, specifically in the Baghdad suburbs of Thawra, Shu'la, Hurriya' Bayya', the village of Yousiffiya and the nearby districts of Mahmoudiyah. Government suppression of the uprising in these districts often involved mass executions.[2]

He was a member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. Despite his high-profile roles, he was believed to not have been fully trusted by Saddam.[2] In 1995, he was shot nine times in the leg by Uday Hussein (son of Saddam), reportedly during an argument over Watban's growing popularity among the people. He reportedly lost his leg, genitals, and part of his stomach as a result of this incident. In the aftermath of this event, Saddam ordered Watban to a position of relative obscurity in Tikrit.

On 11 March 2009, it was reported that he was sentenced to execution by hanging for his role in the execution of 42 traders who were accused of manipulating food prices.[3]

On the morning of 14 July 2011, the US handed him over to Iraqi authorities for execution, with it being expected that he would be executed within a month.[4] Instead, Ibrahim remained imprisoned until his death from natural causes on 13 August 2015.[5]

He was the five of spades in the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards.[1]

References
  1. "US hails capture of Saddam brother". BBC News. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  2. "Watban Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti". Trial International. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  3. "Saddam's deputy PM Tariq Aziz gets 15-year prison sentence". CBC News. CBC. 11 March 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  4. "Half brothers of Saddam Hussein to be executed in Iraq within a month". The New York Post. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  5. "Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan, half brother of Saddam Hussein, has died". Iraqi News. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
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