He was found by mere chanceSaddam Hussein found in Bani Matar [Archives:2003/638/Front Page]

Mohammed Al-Qadhi
It was by accident that security men were able to release Saddam Hussein al-Nusari (10 years old) who was kidnapped at Bani Matar area to the west of Sana'a for five months. The reason of the kidnapping was a machine-gun. The brother of Saddam was given a gun by Mohammed Ali al-Suwari (35 years old) to go and buy him some qat. But, he took it and ran away.
Al-Suwari kidnapped Saddam and put him at his house in a cow stable as a hostage. Saddam told Yemen Times after his release last Friday that al-Suwari, wanted by authorities for several crimes, used to torture him and beat him with an electric wire. He also chained him, giving him only one meal a day which is bread and water. “He used to ask me for the telephone number of my family in the village of al-Saddah in Ibb province and used to tell that he would mutilate my hand and write on my forehead that I ma a thieve” Saddam said while his face looked very pale. He says that the kidnapper first put him in one of the rooms of his house but when he found out that he could communicate with the people of the village to feed him, he took him to the dark stable where there was no difference between day and night for the kidnapped child.
He used to bring him food or the girl of the kidnapper who used to live with her father only in the house.
The people of the village did not dare to inform the police as they are frightened by al-Suwari who is accused of several crimes. Saddam used to hear the conversation of the kidnapper with his fellow friends who used to visit him at nights. Security officers said he is smart and has important information to them about the criminal.
The family of the hostage did not know about him for all this time as the child is orphan and he was brought to the Orphans Care House in Sana'a by his grandfather who lives in Ibb. He once went to see his brother who works in Bani Mattar in the field of coffee farming. His brother came to know the kidnapper and used to work at day and goes to sleep at his house. Once he told him to take the gun and go to bring him qat but he took the gun and ran away. Therefore, he kidnapped the child and put in the stable. Nobody asked about him; his brother knew about the kidnapping but he did not inform police. His whereabouts is still un-known so far. It is not clear also whether he was indulged in the criminal gang of the kidnapper. Saddam's family thought he was in the orphan house.
As the kidnapper is charged with robbing the factory of the well-known Hussein al-Suwari, he was wanted by the security. Officer Najeeb Bagash who followed up the case told Yemen Times that a group of security people went to monitor the house of al-Suwari so as o arrest him for robbing the factory. When they approached the house, they heard the voice of the child singing. He used to sing to let people hear him as he was beaten up whenever he cried or shouted. The officer took a warrant from the prosecution to storm the house. They found the child chained and in a very miserable situation. He could not believe that he was free, thinking that the kidnapper will bring him back to the stable. When I asked what he wants, he said he wanted to go back to his village. He does not want to go to school which did not even inform his family about his disappearance. He was shown to the doctor and it was found that his stomach is no more used to any sort of food except bread and water. He was given some rice and meat but he vomited.
One of his relatives, Officer Nasr al-Nusari, described the act as a heinous crime that Yemen has never seen before. He warned that if no stiff action is taken against the criminal and his gang, it will lead to further similar crimes. “We do not know how to deal with this issue which might bring tribal problems.”
Security people are still hunting down to arrest the kidnapper.
The state of lawlessness has encouraged similar people in different areas in Yemen to show their muscles and bring fear into the life of their people.
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