Iraq reaps $116 million from former Saddam aide

[September 19, 2011]  BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq's government says it has retrieved $116 million from French bank accounts that were registered to a former official in Saddam Hussein's regime.

A statement by the Iraqi Integrity Commission says the recovered money includes $106 million from an account with UBAF bank and $10 million in accounts scattered across several other banks in France.

The statement says the funds will be returned to Iraq's finance ministry within two months. It did not identify the account holder.

Integrity Commission member Khalifa al-Shammari declined to comment on Sunday.

Saddam and his aides amassed personal wealth during his 24-year reign, mostly at the expense of millions of the nation's poor residents.

[Associated Press]

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