Worst bank robber ever: Qusay Hussein

Chemical Ollie · May 6, 2003, 16:16

Quote:

U.S. Says Saddam Family Took $1 Billion from Bank
Tue May 6, 2003 01:53 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his family took about $1 billion from the Iraqi central bank shortly before the start of the U.S. invasion, the State Department said on Tuesday.
Spokesman Richard Boucher said U.S. Treasury Department officials in Baghdad had reported the withdrawal to Washington and the United States was trying to hunt down the money.

"We do know from Treasury Department officials in Baghdad that approximately one billion dollars was taken from the Iraqi central bank by Saddam and his family just prior to the start of combat," Boucher told reporters.

The New York Times first reported the massive cash withdrawal. It said Saddam's son Qusay and a close associate took $900 million in American bills and $100 million worth of euros in three tractor trailers.

Boucher said the United States did not know where the money had gone but he noted that U.S. troops had found stacks of dollar bills in various locations in Iraq, including about $600 million in Saddam Hussein's palaces, and $100 million and 90 million euros (about $100 million) in an armored vehicle.

"We are working to hunt down the assets that were stolen by the regime of Saddam Hussein. We'll actively follow up on all the leads. All these assets are the property of the Iraqi people and should be returned to them," he said.

"We'll continue to encourage other governments to take appropriate measures if any of these assets show up anywhere, to track down and freeze the ill-gotten gains of Saddam Hussein and his family," he added.

The New York Times cited an Iraqi official for its report and said that Saddam himself had signed the withdrawal order.

Qusay, the deposed leader's second son, and one of the president's personal assistants, Abid al-Hamid Mahmood, carried a letter from Saddam authorizing the transaction, it said.

"When you get an order from Saddam Hussein, you do not discuss it," an unidentified Iraqi official who held a senior position in a bank told the Times. The official was told about the removal of the cash by the people who turned it over to Qusay and the adviser, the newspaper reported.

The Times said Iraqi officials were uncertain what effect the disappearance of the cash -- about one quarter of the central bank's hard currency reserves -- would have on the Iraqi economy.

Some Americans suspect the money, reportedly stolen at 4 a.m. on March 18, went to Syria, the newspaper said.

Col. Ted Seel, a U.S. Army special forces officer, said he was aware of the seizure of cash, the newspaper reported. He said there was intelligence information at the time that suggested tractor trailers were crossing into Syria from Iraq.

Saddam and his two sons have not been seen in public since the war began. The ousted Iraqi leader made a number of television appearances during the war, but it was not possible to verify when they were recorded.

Three truck loads of Dollar and Euro bills? That's some travel money...

DanS · May 6, 2003, 16:26

I was under the impression that we were unable to secure the central bank after the invasion and that most of the reserves were gone. Having 3/4 secured is good news.

Boris Godunov · May 6, 2003, 16:38

Worst? If he successfully got away with $1 billion, I'd say he's one of the best ever!

Chemical Ollie · May 6, 2003, 17:06

Words describing crimes should have a negative meaning. You wouldn't call Hitler, Stalin or Mao the BEST mass-murderers ever, would you?

Boris Godunov · May 6, 2003, 17:10

I would, but I'm sick that way.

MRT144 · May 6, 2003, 17:15

i agree with boris. he is the best bank robber ever. hed be even greater if he continues to elude capture.

Chemical Ollie · May 6, 2003, 17:18

Yes, he is still not captured, but he seems to have left most of the money behind when he fled the palace.

Ben Kenobi · May 6, 2003, 17:18

He's an awesome bank robber for his profession, but as a bank robber person, he's terrible.

That any clearer?

Locutus · May 6, 2003, 17:23

I've seen this report in several other media as well today and I don't get it: why is this news? I'm pretty sure I've heard this before, very soon after the fall of Baghdad...

Oerdin · May 6, 2003, 18:15

Isn't looting the central bank something just about every out going dictator does before he leaves the country? I've lost track of how many African and Haitian dictators of done this and then moved to a beach resort in the south of France.

Panag · May 6, 2003, 18:50

DATE=5/06/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BAGHDAD / BANK HEIST (S)

NUMBER=2-302924

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S officials say as much as a billion dollars was stolen from Iraq's central bank just before the start of the war to topple Saddam Hussein in March, a robbery believed to have been carried out on orders of the Hussein family or its close associates. Correspondent Nick Simeone tells us about what could be one of the largest bank robberies in history.

TEXT: U-S Treasury officials say they do not know where the roughly 900-million dollars in U-S currency and Euros were taken but are determined to find it and return it to the Iraqi people. The New York Times quotes an unidentified Iraqi official with knowledge of the incident as saying the money required three tractor-trailers to haul off and was withdrawn on direct orders of Saddam Hussein.

Whether the former Iraqi leader or members of his family or government were able to use the money to buy their way into a neighboring country is not known. Daniel Goure is a former Defense Department official and now a national security analyst at the Lexington Institute.

/// GOURE ACT ///

A billion dollars can probably buy even Saddam Hussein some level of protection or a hideout somewhere in the world.

/// END ACT ///

The disappearance of the money reportedly took place March 18th, just hours before the first American bombs began falling on Baghdad. (SIGNED)

NEB/NJS/RH/FC

hi ,

why did it came out today , simple , they only found out about it today , ....

have a nice day

Ned · May 6, 2003, 18:57

What's the Iraqi penalty for stealing $1 billion? In the US, the more you steal, the less time you serve. Remember Milken? He paid a fine, I believe, of $750 million and spent a couple of years in jail.

Chemical Ollie · May 6, 2003, 19:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin
Isn't looting the central bank something just about every out going dictator does before he leaves the country? I've lost track of how many African and Haitian dictators of done this and then moved to a beach resort in the south of France.

Didn't Markos (not the Makedon) go to US?

Oerdin · May 6, 2003, 19:48

Markos (of the Phillipines) kicked the bucket almost right after he was deposed but his wife still lives in Hawaii much to the pleasure of Hawaii's shoe salesmen.

GePap · May 6, 2003, 20:51

He's a lousy bank robber..I mean, he had the finance minister there and everything. He didn;t even have to shoot his way in, nor did he have to gather a quaint ad stereotypical cast of criminals with interesting past and concoct a daring plan to elude bank security and somehow get away with the money.

The only novel bit here is that all the money was in Cash (the Iraqi central bank had a billion dollars IN CASH there?).

Uncle Sparky · May 6, 2003, 21:32

I seem to recall reading in the US media that Saddam had several billion US $ ferreted away. Would Qusay technically be committing robbery if he was simply withdrawing family funds ?

Wouldn't Saddam have to press charges against his son if the withdrawl wasn't authorized ?... or will the US act in Saddam's interest ?

Skanky Burns · May 6, 2003, 21:59

The billions in cash was probably arranged WELL in advance.

Urban Ranger · May 7, 2003, 01:19

I am rather skeptical of this report, considering that caches of cash worth $6B and $6.5B have been found. Why would he want to take a measly $1B from the bank for?

The Mad Monk · May 7, 2003, 01:49

Well, the most recent rumor has it that its just a cover story for for what the cash was really used for:

Paying off the "retired" Russian generals that were in Baghdad advising the regime.

Urban Ranger · May 7, 2003, 01:51

Again I ask, why was that necessary with all the cash caches floating around?

The Mad Monk · May 7, 2003, 02:09

Convenience?

tinyp3nis · May 7, 2003, 02:16

Quote:

Originally posted by Olaf Hårfagre
Words describing crimes should have a negative meaning. You wouldn't call Hitler, Stalin or Mao the BEST mass-murderers ever, would you?

They are. I'm the worst since I haven't even killed anyone yet.

Did they teach you that double negative in math is positive btw?

Edit: well they didn't start young either so I still have time