Hussein Said to Rehire Son-in-Law to Battle U.N.

Saddam Hussein was reported Monday to have reinstated his son-in-law as chief of Iraq’s arms and oil industries, effectively restoring him as the Iraqi leader’s right-hand man.

If the report is accurate, it marks a remarkable comeback for Gen. Hussein Kamel Hassan, who was the main architect of Iraq’s largely clandestine nuclear, chemical warfare and long-range missile programs.

It also would position him as the point man in Baghdad’s campaign to impede U.N. efforts to dismantle Iraq’s arms industry. Iraq has repeatedly balked at complying with the terms of the cease-fire that ended the Gulf War, which call for the elimination of its weapons of mass destruction.

Last week, Iraq ignored a U.N. order on destruction of ballistic-missile production facilities.

There has been no official announcement in Baghdad or independent verification of the report on Kamel in the Middle East Economic Survey. But the respected newsletter has good sources in the oil industry.

The newsletter did not say whether that would affect the position of Oil Minister Osama Hiti.

Hussein named Kamel a presidential adviser last month, formally reinstating him in the Baghdad government three months after he was sacked as defense minister.

Diplomatic sources in Baghdad had reported that Kamel was dumped to placate his rivals within the government. But since then, Kamel has been seen with Hussein at public ceremonies, underlining reports that despite his dismissal, he had not fallen from favor.