The first glimpse of Saddam Hussein's life in prison was provided in London's The Guardian newspaper on Monday.
According to Iraqi Human Rights Minister Bakhtiar Amin, who met Saddam on Saturday, July 24, the former dictator does the following:
- He writes poetry! (who says tyrants are not poets at heart :-)) One of his poems, not surprisingly is about George W Bush.
- He does a bit of gardening (hey! we didn't know Saddam had a green thumb). He tends the bushes and shrubs near the air-conditioned cell, where he lives in solitary detention.
- He reads the Koran (this for a man widely considered anti-Muslim throughout his reign by his adversaries), preferring the Holy Book to the 145 books in the prison's library .
- Saddam, whose courthouse appearances revealed he has lost weight (11 pounds, according to Amin), likes American muffins and cookies. Though he does a fair bit of exercise, Amin believes he is back to indulging his sweet tooth.
The Guardian said, 'Amin, a longtime Iraqi human rights campaigner who had family members killed by the former regime, said he could not bring himself to speak to Saddam but observed that he was "in good health and being kept in good conditions."'
Saddam, Amin told the British newspaper, also 'appeared demoralised and dejected.'