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Jordan Denies Saddam's Cousin Is Seeking Asylum
Jordan has denied that a cousin of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is seeking asylum in the kingdom, the English daily Jordan Times reported on Tuesday.
The government announced it had not received any appeal from an Iraqi citizen claiming to be a cousin of President Saddam, Jordan Times quoted an unnamed Jordanian official as saying.
"The man is neither a relative of Saddam Hussein nor a political figure in Iraq, he is an impostor who fled Iraq recently to avoid fraud charges," the official said.
The Iraqi man, identified as Alaa Majid, arrived in Amman a few days ago, claimed to foreign journalists in the kingdom that he was a cousin and former aide of President Saddam and he wanted to seek asylum in an Arab country due to differences with the Iraqi government.
However, Majid, 47, said he was not seeking asylum in Jordan and he will leave the kingdom for Yemen on Wednesday.
The Iraqi embassy refused to make any comment on the report.
The Jordanian government appeared cautious in handling alleged asylum issue concerning Iraqi citizens.
In August 1995, Jordan provided shelter to two son's-in-law of President Saddam, who fled to Amman and sought asylum in the kingdom over differences with the Iraqi leader.
The two, including General Hussein Kamel Hassan, were killed six months later by "family members" after they returned to Iraq, according to official allegations from Iraq.
The 1995 episode created rifts between the two traditionally friendly countries as Jordan called for political changes in Iraq during the event.
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