Traumatic Beginning in Tikrit

Saddam Hussein was born on 28 April 1937 at the home of his uncle, Khairallah Tulfah, in Tikrit. Sabha his mother had to virtually abandon the child to his uncle8217;s care while she went to find work and in his early years Saddam was to endure the taunts of other children over his illegitimacy. But his uncle taught the athletically built boy how to fight and use his physical strength to have his revenge on his enemies. This lesson served Saddam well.

It was while he was at secondary school in Baghdad in 1955 that he joined the emerging Ba8217;ath Party. He volunteered his services as hired muscle, roaming the streets in search of his party8217;s political enemies.

In October 1959 he was picked as one of the hit team to assassinate President Abdul Karim Kassem as he drove through Baghdad. Saddam was only supposed to be a lookout, but as the cavalcade approached he lost his nerve and began firing indiscriminately at the president8217;s motorcycle outriders. In the chaos the followed Saddam was shot in the thigh by one of his own comrades as they fled.

Soon after the Ba8217;ath Party consolidated its exclusive grip on power in 1968, Saddam was appointed vice-president.