US Military Announces Capture of 'Chemical Ali'

By Kirk Troy
Baghdad
21 August 2003

The U.S. military has announced the capture of Ali Hassan al-Majid, a cousin of Saddam Hussein. The man is also known as Chemical Ali and was one of the most wanted members of the former regime.

The U.S. military said Thursday it has captured Ali-Hassan al-Majid, a cousin of Saddam Hussein who was number five on the U.S. most wanted list.

He earned the nickname Chemical Ali for his role in the use of chemical weapons against rebel Kurds in 1988 that killed thousands of people.

British military officials said last April they believed was killed in an air strike in southern Iraq. They later admitted he could still be alive after interrogating prisoners in the area.

Meanwhile, United Nations officials in Baghdad raised the death toll Thursday to 23 following the truck bombing Tuesday that destroyed their headquarters. A U.N. spokesman said the recovery effort is continuing and they still hope to find a survivor, but admitted that it does not look good at this stage.

The U.S. military also said one soldier was killed and two were wounded Wedneday night in Baghdad as a bomb was detonated near a convoy.