Basam Ridha
Encyclopedia
Basam Ridha Al-Husaini (born in Iraq c. 1964) is an advisor to Iraq
i Prime Minister Nouri Maliki charged with overseeing judicial matters. He also was an advisor to his predecessor, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari
. Prior to returning to Iraq, he worked in the United States
as an engineer and actor, appearing in small roles in Three Kings, 24
, and Hidalgo
.
Ridah is the son of a wealthy Iraqi jeweler. His family were Shiites who refused to join Saddam Hussein
's Baath Party
, and as a result his older brothers Bashir and Kadhim were arrested. Their fates were unknown until after the fall of Hussein's regime; his family found records of their execution. Ridah fled to the US in 1982, bribing officials for a passport and dropping his last name. He graduated with a BA in mechanical engineering
in 1987 from Louisiana State University
. After moving to Los Angeles
, he worked as a state engineer and then started a home inspection business. A job as a cultural advisor for the film Three Kings led to an on-screen role as "Black Robe Leader", which led to parts in other Hollywood productions.
Following the fall of Saddam Hussein, Ridah returned to work for the new Iraqi government. In charge of overseeing executions, he was on vacation in Dubai
and was not present for Execution of Saddam Hussein
, since the US handed him over earlier than expected. Since then, he has worked to reduce the suffering of executions.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i Prime Minister Nouri Maliki charged with overseeing judicial matters. He also was an advisor to his predecessor, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari
Ibrahim al-Jaafari
Ibrahim abd al-Karim Hamzah al-Eshaiker al-Jafari is an Iraqi politician who was Prime Minister of Iraq in the Iraqi Transitional Government from 2005 to 2006, following the January 2005 election. He was previously one of the two Vice-Presidents of Iraq under the Iraqi Interim Government from 2004...
. Prior to returning to Iraq, he worked in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as an engineer and actor, appearing in small roles in Three Kings, 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, and Hidalgo
Hidalgo (film)
Hidalgo is a 2004 film based on the legend of the American distance rider Frank Hopkins and his mustang Hidalgo, and recounts Hopkins' racing his horse in Arabia in 1891 against Bedouin riding pure-blooded Arabian horses. The movie was written by John Fusco and directed by Joe Johnston...
.
Ridah is the son of a wealthy Iraqi jeweler. His family were Shiites who refused to join Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
, and as a result his older brothers Bashir and Kadhim were arrested. Their fates were unknown until after the fall of Hussein's regime; his family found records of their execution. Ridah fled to the US in 1982, bribing officials for a passport and dropping his last name. He graduated with a BA in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
in 1987 from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. After moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, he worked as a state engineer and then started a home inspection business. A job as a cultural advisor for the film Three Kings led to an on-screen role as "Black Robe Leader", which led to parts in other Hollywood productions.
Following the fall of Saddam Hussein, Ridah returned to work for the new Iraqi government. In charge of overseeing executions, he was on vacation in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and was not present for Execution of Saddam Hussein
Execution of Saddam Hussein
The execution of Saddam Hussein took place on December 30, 2006 . Saddam was sentenced to death by hanging, after being found guilty and convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for the murder of 148 Iraqi Shi'ite in the town of Dujail in 1982, in retaliation for an...
, since the US handed him over earlier than expected. Since then, he has worked to reduce the suffering of executions.