Baghdad Citizens Gathering
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On 31 December 2006, a Baathist group previously unknown who following the execution of Saddam Hussein, the former ruler of Iraq and leader of Iraq's Baath Party, very publicly issued a statement in Amman in Jordan at the Jordanian branch of the Iraqi Baath Party (apparently sent from the Baath Party organisation in Iraq) endorsing Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri - Saddam's Deputy as the new "President of Iraq" and new leader of the Baath Party.[1][2]
The statement referred to Iraqi's killed in the 1980-88 war with Iran, 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait and the 13 years of sanctions after and went on to say "We vow to liberate our country from the heinous criminals, neo-Zionists and the Persians in order to restore Iraq's unity,".
How many members this group has or what their origins are remains unconfirmed, but to carry out such an openly public statement of this kind in front of the Jordanian Baath Headquarters is indicative that they are a major force in Baathism.
However it has since been confirmed by the website of the banned Iraqi Baath Party that Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri is the new official leader of the Iraqi Baath Party.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Jordan Baathists pledge loyalty to Saddam deputy Jerusalem Post, 31 December 2006
- ^ A group of Iraqi Baathists pledges allegiance to Saddam's fugitive deputy, naming him leader International Herald Tribune, 31 December 2006
- ^ Saddam aide is new Baath leader BBC News, 3 January 2007
