A strange statement about Saddam Hussein has sparked a wave of ridicule among several Iraqis in recent hours. Many activists criticized Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haqq movement, after his comments regarding the origins of the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
During his Eid al-Fitr sermon yesterday, he stated: "The DNA analysis of the former Iraqi regime's president Saddam Hussein proved that he is from India." He continued, "When Saddam the destroyer spread his statements claiming that the Iraqi people originate from India, it was shown after the DNA analysis that he himself is from India."
He also claimed that there is "a persistent effort costing billions of dollars aimed at targeting the religion, beliefs, morals, and customs of the people," according to local media outlets.
These remarks have raised questions among Iraqis on social media about why this comment is being made now in a sermon that is supposed to be religious. Meanwhile, others called for the DNA testing of many politicians in the country to uncover their political loyalties. Some urged al-Khazali to focus on issues that concern ordinary Iraqis and their daily lives, as well as social and economic problems, instead of getting distracted by such trivial matters.
In 2017, the state media magazine "Al-Shabaka" published an investigation about Saddam's origins, claiming that gene testing showed he belonged to the "L" lineage prevalent in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan, India, Tajikistan, Iranian Baluchistan, and Afghanistan, with lower percentages throughout the Middle East. However, that study did not explain how these results were reached and did not cite any scientific source to confirm those claims.
