05/06/2003

Saddam’s family will not be granted asylum

The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson has said that Saddam Hussein’s family will not be allowed to claim asylum in Britain.

Responding to media reports that Saddam Hussein’s two daughters and his wife may submit applications for asylum, the PMOS said that there was no question of them coming to Britain as their application would be rejected.

He said that no application could be considered from any member of Saddam Hussein’s family “who might have been involved in human rights abuses”.

However junior Home Office minister Beverly Hughes speaking on Radio 4 said that while an application to travel the UK could be opposed, the women’s case would be considered if they travelled to the UK.

In an article earlier this week The Sun claimed that the daughters Raghad (35) and Rana (33) were planning to set up home in Leeds with their ten children. Both of the daughters’ husbands were killed in 1996 when they returned from Jordan to Iraq.

The speculation arose after a cousin of Saddam Hussein’s, Mr Izzi-Din al-Majid, had claimed that the two women wanted to travel to the UK from Iraq. Mr al-Majid, who fled Iraq in 1995, has asylum in the UK.

Meanwhile the Daily Mail had suggested that Saddam Hussein’s wife Sajida (66) was also seeking asylum in Britain.

It is understood that no applications are currently under consideration by the Home Office.

(SP)

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