NWI Insights - Iraq to publish its first newspaper of the new era

Last week on NWI, a report by Ian Williams of Channel 4 news looked at the beginnings of a new 'free' press in Iraq. Formerly the media was under the stronghold of Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Uday and as the report explains, his style of control was authoritarian, sometimes violent and often under the influence of alcohol. Williams witnesses the wheels of an Iraqi newspaper starting to turn, the press has begun rolling. But it is not a day of open celebration and employees cautiously appear from an unmarked building where the journalism is underway. This is the first newspaper in the post-Saddam era but people are still very wary, explains Williams.

Williams talks to Adib Shaaban, the individual in charge of bringing the newspaper into fruition and the former secretary to Uday Hussein. Shaaban openly admits that he remains afraid to speak out because he believes Saddam and his family are still out there. Williams asks whether he thinks that Hussein is still dangerous? Yes, Shaaban is adamant, they are still dangerous because they are free, he says. Williams outlines that Shaaban worked first as the press secretary for 12 years and then as Uday's private secretary for 12 years. Shaaban highlights that due to the stress of working for Uday, his hands shake, and his health is not good. He contends that once Saddam and his sons are either captured or dead, he then will feel that he can fully speak out.

Williams asks Shaaban what it was like to work with Uday? Shaaban responds that most people work by day and party by night. However Uday started a party at 8am and this went on until 5pm.

Williams shows footage of the exclusive palace captured by US forces remarking that it was certainly a striking venue for celebrations. The US found thousands of pounds worth of hard liquor and drugs when they captured the palace used by Uday.

Shaaban continues that Uday used to sleep from 5.30am until 2 or 3am, then he would eat, surf the Internet and around 5 or 6am he would give out work for the day and then at 8am would start partying again. Sometimes explained Shaaban, Uday would attend meetings with his father but he would be so drunk he could hardly talk.

A few days before the US-led war, Shaaban resigned and escaped to Jordan but his wife and children were taken hostage so Shaaban returned and he was thrown in jail. He was freed by the US forces when they took over Baghdad.

Uday Hussein also ran a TV station and he had both a brutal and bazaar management style asserts Williams. He talks to a former TV news presenter, Alaa Abd Al-Zhera who said that sometimes Uday would lock them in the office or whip them with TV cables or beat them on the soles of our feet. He punished errors and had a strict working regime enforced by the 12 security guards employed at the station. One of his rules was that the telephone could not be used without permission, says Al-Zhera. One day a friend of the presenter used the telephone to confirm a meeting without permission and Uday locked them both in the office for three days and then shaved his friend's head as punishment.

Williams says that despite the horror stories there did also appear to be some humour at the station as he finds the tapes of presenters fluffing their lines.

Williams asks Shaaban what he thinks has happened to Saddam and his family? Shaaban answers that he believes they are still alive and living somewhere in Russia or former Russia. Shaaban still fears for his safety but he does not believe that Saddam has a secret army or that he could launch a guerrilla war as suggested by some Arab newspapers. If there was an army, we would have seen it already says Shaaban. Although still clearly on edge, Shaaban manages some laughter and relaxation and states that for the moment the ordeal is over.

This extract forms part of just one of the many insightful news features presented on the 24 hour news network Newsworld International (NWI). If you would like further information or are interested in subscribing to NWI, visit their website at www.nwitv.com or telephone their subscription service on 1-800-280-4388.

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