Looting and Pillaging in Baghdad - 2003-04-11

Looters in Baghdad have been pillaging the homes of Saddam Hussein's allies and relatives, taking everything portable, including chandeliers, electrical wires, and even door handles. Looting groups have pulled boxes filled with alcoholic beverages, guns, and valuable paintings from the home of Saddam Hussein and his debauched eldest son, and they also seized his luxurious yacht that was anchored in a private area. Other looted homes belonged to Tariq Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, Izzat Ibrahim, Saddam's right-hand minister, and Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam's cousin, known as 'Ali Hassan the Terrible' or 'Ali Chemical,' who apparently was killed in last Saturday's bombing in Basra. Looters in other areas of Basra also set fire to several government buildings, including the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Interior, which contained identification documents and ID cards. Several foreign diplomats' buildings, including the German Embassy, the French Cultural Center, and the residence of the Finnish ambassador, were also raided. Looters continue to plunder in Baghdad today, taking whatever they can from government buildings, shops, and private homes. In the capital of Iraq, some shopkeepers opened fire on the looters, and locals appealed to American soldiers, asking them to stop the violence. The looting, which began after the fall of Baghdad to coalition forces, has spread to hospitals and schools, with looters stealing property from these places and even from aid and charity organizations. A senior U.S. military official stated that the primary concern of American forces was to eliminate scattered resistance from Saddam's agents, and initially, looting did not seem to be a major issue.