Story of the "Kuwaiti Quisling"

[Seán McGinley <pinguwebmaster@DELETETHISyahoo.de>]

Following is an article by Brent Hentschel published in German daily newspaper "Neues Deutschland" on Wed. Jan 26th 2000. Once again the translation is my own.

"IRAQ'S FORMER PUPPET GOVERNOR GIVES HIMSELF UP"
In Kuwait, the authorities recently arrested a man who formed a pro-Iraqi puppet government after the invasion in 1990.
For weeks, the return and arrest of Alaa Hussein Ali were denied. Kuwaiti Newspapers now speculate wheter the death sentance, passed in 1993 agfainst the "Kuwiati Quisling", will be carried out.
After growing up in Kuwait, Alaa Hussein Ali studied in Baghdad and became a member of the ruling Baath party. He has two nationalities and two wives - one Kuwaiti and the other Iraqi. After returning to his homeland, he led the sttempted coup in 1990 that was seen as the start of the Iraqi engagement: a small group of anti-monarchist officers and soldiers called the waiting troops from behind the border into the country. Iraq's president promoted Alaa Hussein to Colonel and made him Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Interior Minister in the "Provisional Government of Free Kuwait". Acting under orders from Saddam Hussein, he deposed the Emir, proclaimed the Reublic and nationalised the oil industry. One week later he had to declare Kuwait's incorporation into Iraq and he became Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq.
Most of the 21 000 Kuwaiti Soldiers originally did not want to fight against their former ally Iraq. However, they did not want to join the "Coup of revolutionary forces", unlike the Palestinian exiles, Republican Kuwaitis and the Shiite minority. The Bedouines, who live on both sides of the border, also supported the coup.
With the reconquest of Kuwait by the USA and allies, many were forced to flee to Iraq, among them Alaa Hussein Ali.
According to Iraqi opposition groups, Alla distanced himself from his political mentor Saddam Hussein after 1994. In 1998 he managed to escape. With a false name he fled with his family to Norway. Why he left his secure hiding place remains a mystery. Did the Kuwaiti Embassy promise him clemancy if he allows himself to be used against his former leader? His Iraqi wife remains in Norway, the Kuwaiti one is also in custody.

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