Latif Yahia, an Iraqi exile who claims he was forced to become the body double of dictator Saddam Hussein’s playboy son Uday, says he is “in a legal limbo” as his fight to secure an Irish citizenship enters its 11th year.
The former army captain is married to an Irish woman, and has an Irish child but despite this his application for Irish citizenship has been rejected twice already, according to The Belfast Telegraph.
Yahia has been waiting for more than five years for a decision on his application, which is his third citizenship application.
He was involved in the 2011 movie, ‘The Devil’s Double’, about his experience as a “fidi” or body double, which were widely used by Saddam’s regime. The 2011 movie starred British actor Dominic Cooper, who won critical acclaim for his portrayal of both Mr Yahia and Uday, Saddam’s sadistic eldest son.
Yahia said that he finds it “hurtful and humiliating” that he has not yet received a decision and claims he has not been given a proper reason as to why his citizenship is being refused. He believes he has been refused because of an alleged claim, passed from the CIA to Special Branch, that he is an international arms dealer - a claim he dismisses.
READ MORE: Irish immigration
"Not knowing why is like a thorn in my brain," said Mr Yahia, who says that he cannot accept citizenship in another country until he knows why he has been refused the privilege here.
Yahia, an outspoken blogger, also believes he is being blocked by the authorities after criticising former Justice Minister Michael McDowell.
"I am not looking for sympathy, just a decision," said Mr Yahia, speaking from Belgium, where he is finalising a documentary, 'I Was Saddam's Son', which is due to be shown at the LA and Cannes film festivals.
"Even if he (the minister) refuses me, I will be thankful, at least it would be an answer," said Mr Yahia.
According to The Belfast Telegraph, Mr Yahia said that his life had been made difficult "in many ways" because not having an Irish citizenship meant that he was unable to travel to America, Canada, Australia or New Zealand to promote his movie.
Justice Minister Alan Shatter, who has absolute discretion whether to grant a certificate of naturalisation, is currently reviewing Ireland’s citizenship regime after a Syrian lawyer won a Supreme Court appeal last December over a decision to refuse him Irish citizenship.
“If I had known then what I know about the West I would have stayed in Baghdad and taken a bullet from Uday Hussein,” he said after explaining that he had lost faith in Western justice.
“At least I would have been buried in my country beside my family. If I die tomorrow here in Ireland, I will be a foreigner buried on foreign soil.”
The minister’s department does not comment on individual cases, according to The Belfast Telegraph.
5 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.longislander1940 | Jan 16, 2013, 05:51 PM EST
Also my son became an Irish citizen because his grandparents were all born there. If he gets his citizenship there goes the wife.
longislander1940 | Jan 16, 2013, 05:47 PM EST
Doesn't matter if his wife is a Irish citizen. My mother in law lived in the U S A for 40 years thinking she was a citizen through her husband who became a citizen. Well guess what? she had to take the test. luckily she passed
pndirishandprou | Jan 16, 2013, 02:58 PM EST
He is married to an Irish citizen. Unless the government has proof that he engaged in illegal activities or does otherwise not meet the criteria for naturalization, it is unfair to deny him citizenship.
pilib04 | Jan 16, 2013, 11:12 AM EST
Body double? Kidding right? No government does not want to give him asylum. There is no resemblance whatsoever unless it's the fact that they both appear to be "Middle Eastern."
John G | Jan 16, 2013, 10:19 AM EST
I’m Irish and shame to be Irish anymore, I’m Sorry Latif for what hapend to you in ireland, We Love You, Irish government So Corrupt and we Don’t have a Democracy in Ireland, Shame on the Irish Government, Always continue to speak your mind Latif, and To Alan Shatter Minister for Justice in Ireland shame on You.