Muhammad Mahdi Salih

Muhammad Mahdi Salih
Minister of Trade
In office
1987 – 9 April 2003
PresidentSaddam Hussein
Preceded byHassan Ali[1][2]
Succeeded byMohammed Al-Jubouri (interim)[3]
Chief of the Presidential Office
In office
~1980s–1987
PresidentSaddam Hussein
Personal details
Born1947 or 1949
Rawa, Al-Anbar, Iraq
PartyIraqi Ba'ath Party
OccupationPolitician

Mohammad Mahdi Salih Al-Rawi (Arabic: محمد مهدي صالح الراوي) is an Iraqi politician who was Trade Minister in the government of President Saddam Hussein.[4] He was the Minister of Finance from 1989 to 1991.[5]

Pre-War Career

Salih was born between 1947 and 1949 in Al Anbar Governorate in western Iraq.[6] He was the Chief of Saddam Hussein's Presidential Office in the mid-1980s and then became Minister of Trade from 1987 until the downfall of Hussein.[6] In October 1995, the United States listed al Salih as a Designated Individual under their programme of sanctions against Iraq.[7] al-Salih guided Ibrahim Hesqel, who was Trade Envoy to China.[8]

2003 Iraq War

Following the United States-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, the United States distributed a deck of most-wanted Iraqi playing cards, which included al-Saleh as the "six of hearts".[4] His assets were frozen under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483 as a former official.[6] He was taken into custody by the US on 23 April 2003.[9] He was held by the US military at Camp Cropper, a base just outside Baghdad.[10] In July 2010, seven years after his capture, he was handed over to the custody of the Iraq government.[11]

In 2011 he was found innocent of charges against him and in March 2012 he was released by the Iraqi authorities and immediately left the country.[4]

Post-War

Following the 2013 Al Anbar governorate election, Salih was rumoured to be a candidate supported by the Uniters List for the position of Governor of Anbar.[12][13] The Uniters List later denied the rumours.[14] In 2014 he was living in Amman, Jordan.

References

  1. ^ Smolansky, Oles M.; Smolanksy, Bettie M. (1991). The USSR and Iraq: The Soviet Quest for Influence. Duke University Press. p. 256. ISBN 082231116X.
  2. ^ "Iraq (Hansard, 19 December 1986)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 19 December 1986. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Interim Iraqi government". BBC News. 1 June 2004.
  4. ^ a b c "Iraq frees Saddam-era trade minister". Gulf News. 18 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  5. ^ Historical Dictionary of Iraq - Beth K. Dougherty
  6. ^ a b c "Council Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003". European Council of Ministers. 7 July 2003. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  7. ^ "OFAC listing" (FTP). Office of Foreign Assets Control (FTP). Retrieved 19 March 2012. (To view documents see Help:FTP)
  8. ^ "Babylonian Jewish Journal" (PDF). The Scribe.
  9. ^ "US snares more ex-Saddam associates". The Age. 24 April 2003. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  10. ^ Hans von Sponeck (UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq) (9 May 2009). "Appeal for the release of Tariq Aziz". Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  11. ^ "US hands over Tariq Aziz, other detainees to Iraqi govt". Arab News. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Uniters candidate Muhammad Mahdi al-Salih, Minister of Commerce under the Saddam Regime, for the position of Governor of Anbar". Nakhel News. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ^ Amjad Salah, Ammar al-Ani (19 July 2013). "Nomination of former regime Minister of Commerce for post of Governor of Anbar Province". Al Sumaria. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  14. ^ Ahmed Hussein (20 July 2013). "Motahidon denies nominating Salih for Anbar Governor Post". Retrieved 31 August 2013.