Armed men assassinate Saddam praise singer in Baghdad

Al Bawaba ^ | 5/18/03

[areafiftyone]

A prominent Iraqi singer who used to glorify deposed president Saddam Hussein was assassinated by unidentified armed men in his Baghdad home, neighbours said Sunday.

"I saw three people driving in a pickup truck around the neighbourhood at 6.30pm Saturday (local time). At 6.45pm, one of them came to the gate of the garden where Daoud al-Qaissi was standing and started talking to him," Samir Doush said, according to AFP.

"He was joined by an accomplice who fired at Qaissi's head. The bullet pierced through the glass of the house," he said, adding that the three then sped away.

Qaissi, who was in his fifties, presided over the union of Iraqi artists, and had mobilized singers, poets, actors and painters during the US-led war on Iraq to sing the praises of the Baath regime and the army.

After the war which led to Saddam's ouster on April 9, "we advized him to leave the house, but he refused, saying he would die some day anyway, whether here or somewhere else," Doush said.

[x1stcav]

This is de-Baathification with a vengeance.

I'm surprised we haven't seen more of this yet. Maybe it just hasn't been reported.

If I'd had family members raped, tortured, or killed by the regime I know what I'd be doing right now.

[Jeff Head]

he refused, saying he would die some day anyway, whether here or somewhere else

Guess it was there then. In the end, he chose the wrong side.

This is all part of the process of the Ba'athists getting theirs after years of tyranny, oppression and atrocities. It's a greusome and harsh side of that process, but one that is bound to be carried out to one extent or another.

Jeff

[dagoofyfoot]

Armed men assisinate Saddam praise singer in Baghdad


Try outs are going to be rough for the new "Iraqi Idol" show.

[Grampa Dave]

A good example of the plug being pulled on the Ba'athists, who aided, abetted and enable $oddomite to remain in power.

Many who don't have the fame of this Ba'athist have met the same justice or will in the weeks to come.

[Guillermo]

Wait I thought everyone in Iraq loved Saddam...

[gitmogrunt]

Sounds like a iraqxican narco-trafficer's hit team from south of the border has struck.

[Travis McGee]

Good. The more the better.

[skeeter]

I caught this guy's act just before the war started and I wouldn't be at all surprised if his murder had nothing to do with his politics.

[sheik yerbouty]

shi'ite happens.