My name is Jawad Amer Al Sayyid. I was born in 1954. I live in a village 130 kms south of Baghdad.

Saddam Hussein had sentenced me to death for supporting an outspoken Shia cleric, but I managed to escape and hide in the space sandwiched between two walls of my parent's house.

I spent my time listening to the BBC Arabic Service, reading the Koran and watching the world go by from a tiny hole in the wall.

I found out about the fall of the regime from BBC World Service. Jawad Amer Al Sayyid

After Saddam's statue was toppled in Baghdad I finally felt safe enough to leave my hiding place.

I found out about the fall of the regime from BBC World Service. I used to listen in the late evening through until the morning.

The present situation in Iraq causes me concern and regret. I hope this will come to end and Iraqis can live in a calm secure atmosphere away from the disasters, now that the lengthy oppression experienced in the past has gone.


Further information:
Iraqi man ends 20 years in hiding

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	Jawad's story