Died August 13, 2015 | Name Watban al-Tikriti Parents Ibrahim al-Hassan | |
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Prime Minister Saddam HusseinAhmad Husayn Khudayir as-SamarraiMuhammad Hamzah az-ZubaydiSa'dun Hammadi Children Ahmed Watban Ibrahim al-Tikriti Siblings Saddam Hussein, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti Nieces Raghad Hussein, Hala Hussein, Rana Hussein, Saja Barzan Ibrahim H, Noor Barzan Ibrahim H Similar People Saddam Hussein, Barzan Ibrahim al‑Tikriti, Sabawi Ibrahim al‑Tikriti, Sajida Talfah, Qusay Hussein | ||
Watban Ibrahim al-Tikriti (Arabic: وطبان إبراهيم التكريتي; 1952 – 13 August 2015) was a former 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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
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. Instead, Ibrahim remained imprisoned until his death from natural causes on 13 August 2015.
He was the five of spades in the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards.