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Hussein's 'Shiite thug' captured as banned Shiite pilgrimage revived

One of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's most-feared lieutenants was in U.S. hands on April 22, while hundreds of thousands of Shiite Muslims converged on two of Iraq's holy cities in an annual pilgrimage that had been banned for years under Hussein.

Muhammad Hamza al-Zubaydi was captured April 21 by the Iraqi opposition and turned over to American authorities for trial on war-crimes charges.

Al-Zubaydi was known as Hussein's "Shiite thug" for his role in Iraq's bloody suppression of the Shiite Muslim uprising of 1991, in which tens of thousands of people died. A Shiite himself, he was once featured in an Iraqi videotape brutalizing Shiite dissidents. Iraqi opposition groups have also accused him of the 1999 assassination of a top Shiite cleric.

A former prime minister, al-Zubaydi was No. 18 - the queen of spades - in the U.S. military's 55-card deck of cards of most-wanted regime figures. Eleven of the 55 most-wanted are now in custody.

Shiites, meanwhile, streamed toward the sacred cities of Najaf and Karbala. Hundreds of thousands of Shiites took part in the annual pilgrimage. During Hussein's rule, the Shiites were forbidden to march. This year, they marched openly under black banners of mourning.

Karbala was packed with pilgrims, waving black and green flags, chanting and beating their chests. Others carried photos of famous Shiite clerics.

Men wore mostly white robes; women were cloaked head-to-toe in traditional black dress.

Two groups of 100 men in white robes slashed open their own heads with swords, splattering blood on those nearby. Waving the bloody blades toward the shrine and screaming with joy, some were taken away in cars for medical attention. Others washed up at a traditional Iraqi bathhouse.

Shukan ST: May 2, 2003

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National News Hussein's 'Shiite thug' captured as banned Shiite pilgrimage revived One of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's most-feared lieutenants was in U.S. hands on April 22, while hundreds of thousands of Shiite Muslims converged on two of Iraq's holy cities in an annual pilgrimage that had been banned for years under Hussein. Muhammad Hamza al-Zubaydi was captured April 21 by the Iraqi opposition and turned over to American authorities for trial on war-crimes charges. Al-Zubaydi was known as Hussein's "Shiite thug" for his role in Iraq's bloody suppression of the Shiite Muslim uprising of 1991, in which tens of thousands of people died. A Shiite himself, he was once featured in an Iraqi videotape brutalizing Shiite dissidents. Iraqi opposition groups have also accused him of the 1999 assassination of a top Shiite cleric. A former prime minister, al-Zubaydi was No. 18 - the queen of spades - in the U.S. military's 55-card deck of cards of most-wanted regime figures. Eleven of the 55 most-wanted are now in custody. Shiites, meanwhile, streamed toward the sacred cities of Najaf and Karbala. Hundreds of thousands of Shiites took part in the annual pilgrimage. During Hussein's rule, the Shiites were forbidden to march. This year, they marched openly under black banners of mourning. Karbala was packed with pilgrims, waving black and green flags, chanting and beating their chests. Others carried photos of famous Shiite clerics. Men wore mostly white robes; women were cloaked head-to-toe in traditional black dress. Two groups of 100 men in white robes slashed open their own heads with swords, splattering blood on those nearby. Waving the bloody blades toward the shrine and screaming with joy, some were taken away in cars for medical attention. Others washed up at a traditional Iraqi bathhouse. Shukan ST: May 2, 2003 (C) All rights reserved