Head of the Ba’ath Regime’s Intelligence Service Died in Erbil

Azhi Omar

Jalil Khayat Mosque in Erbil.

Tahir Jalil Habboush, the last head of Saddam Hussein’s intelligence service prior to the fall of the Ba'ath regime, died of a heart attack in Erbil on Friday.

Ba’athist intelligence officer Salem al-Jumaili said that the funeral will be held at Jalil Khayat Mosque and will continue over three days.

Habboush was a senior figure within the former regime’s intelligence apparatus and has been accused of involvement in serious human rights violations, including operations during the Anfal campaign, the Anfal operations against the Barzanis, the killing of Kurdish and Arab political activists, and the suppression of uprisings. He even believed that Anfal was a righteous process and was to enforce the law.

Following the fall of the Ba’ath regime, the United States reportedly offered a reward of $1 million for information leading to his capture.

His death in Erbil has prompted questions and reactions regarding the circumstances of his presence and how he came to reside in the city. 



PUKMEDIA