Saddam's son-in-law 'ready to go home'

Jerusalem - An Iraqi general who embarrassed his father-in-law, President Saddam Hussein, by defecting to Jordan last August was quoted yesterday as saying he is ready to return home.

"Conditions in Iraq are improving," the Palestinian newspaper al-Ayam quoted Hussein Kamel Hassan as saying. He added that it was his duty to recognise an "important shift" towards democracy and pluralism in Iraq. "Nobody can stop me from going back and I can't stop myself," he said, without setting a date.

In a separate development, King Hussein of Jordan has allowed an Iraqi opposition group, the Iraqi National Accord, to announce the opening of an office in Amman. Reuter