"Comical Ali", Information chief 'hanged himself'

telegraph ^ | 0401503

[InvisibleChurch]

Information chief 'hanged himself'

Mohammed Said al-Sahaf, Iraq's former information minister, has committed suicide, said reports yesterday.

Two Iranian newspapers said al-Sahaf, famous worldwide for his performances on live television in the last days of Saddam's regime, hanged himself last Wednesday, hours before US forces captured Baghdad. The reports were based on accounts from Iraqi refugees.

[RummyChick]

if anyone can put a beret and glasses on this kook we can make him Bob's new sidekick

[ggekko]

He probably didn't want to have to look for a job in the tough employment market.

[Will]

"First he stabbed himself 6 times in the back then hanged himself.

Sounds like one of the many suicide corpses that turned up in Clinton's Arkansas, like the one where the guy was ruled to have committed suicide by sitting on the train track found with his hands tied behind him.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Why would he choose hanging? Is that better than blowing your brains out? (Sincere question.)

[kimchi lover]

That, sir or madam, is a freakin' HOOT! What a naughty kitty!

[The Red Zone]

MSNBCBSABCNN woulda killed for him.

[kcvl]

Al-Sahaf in suicide riddle

Annie Lawson
Tuesday April 15, 2003


Al-Sahaf: unsubstantiated reports of suicide

It may well be the ultimate in spin from the Iraqi minister of information, but this afternoon there are reports circulating that Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf has committed suicide.

Two Iranian newspapers today published reports of the minister's demise, which came from Iraqi refugees who took shelter at Iraq's borders near the Iranian town of Dehloran over the past week.

They said that Iraq's famed information minister took his own life just hours before Baghdad fell into the hands of the coalition forces last Wednesday.

The Iranian newspaper Mardomsalari and Iran's Arabic newspaper, Al Wifaq, both carried claims that al-Sahaf hung himself a few hours before Baghdad fell to US forces on April 9. However, the refugees did not provide any source to confirm the claim.

But White House press secretary Ari Fleischer yesterday said the US government believed former Iraqi leaders, including deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz and al-Sahaf, may be hiding in Syria.

The fate of the man dubbed "Comical Ali" might not be known, but he is sure to live on in legendary status for his own creative interpretation of the truth, denying what was quite obvious to everyone around him.

An Iranian news agency allegedly close to top conservative military figures attributed the fall of Baghdad to a secret tripartite agreement between Saddam Hussain, Russia and the US.

According to the Baztab agency, al-Sahaf was instructed to stay in Baghdad until the very last moments to lend the impression that everything in Saddam's camp was under control. The agency also claimed that Russia gained $5 billion to orchestrate this agreement.

Al-Sahaf became somewhat of a cult figure in the early stages of the conflict when he declared that the "infidels" were facing "slaughter", despite the images of US tanks rolling into Baghdad and the sound of artillery fire reverberating around the city.

And when the Americans took control of Saddam international airport, he claimed Bush's troops had all been slaughtered.

Standing on the roof of Baghdad's Palestine Hotel, and ignoring the sight of Iraqi troops running for cover on the other side of the Tigris river, al-Sahaf declared: "Baghdad is safe. The battle is still going on. Their infidels are committing suicide by the hundreds on the gates of Baghdad. Don't believe those liars."

But his most famous and incredible spin was his claim to reporters that the Americans would find their "tombs" in Baghdad, when US tanks were visible to camera crews filming his impromptu briefing.

A website dedicated to some of his more fanciful claims has been inundated and nearly 1,000 T-shirts emblazoned with his face have already been sold.

The Ministry of Defence said they were aware of the reports but had no comment to make.

[The Red Zone]

Cat did it in revenge for this

[Salvation]

Has a second source confirmed this?

[cookcounty]

The man has become something of an "accidental comedian," but the fact remains that he was a brutal part of Saddam's machine, bullying the press and having Iraqis tortured and murdered for daring to speak out.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Probably tomorrow, when I have time heh heh heh

[InvisibleChurch]

unknown

[Pharmboy]

"It's only a flesh wound..."

[InvisibleChurch]

don't know ... nice trees, though

[paul51]

Oh man. That's sick.....Funny too

[F16Fighter]

"So he stole $200,000 from journalists and then took the money and bought a reeeeealllly expensive rope and hanged himself....May we see the body please?"

Heh!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Thanks! I love birch trees.

[Conservative4Ever]

There is something inherently wrong with this, I just can't put my finger on it at present cause I'm busy laughing myself silly.

Red

[McBuff]

I just watched this guy on C-span. . .very scary dude. . .very sick fellow. "I've been receiving death threats and so has Susan and my 13 year old has gotten threating emails wah wah wah waaaaaaa waaaaaa ME ME ME ME ME MEEEMEEEEEEMEMEMEMEMEMEEEEEEEEMEMEMEMEMEEEE ITS ALL ABOUT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[WOSG]

If he could fake Iraqi victories he could fake his own suicide.


Where's the body?