Latif Yahia

Latif Yahia (Arabic: لطيف يحيى‎‎, Laṭīf Yaḥīa; born 15 June 1964) is an Iraqi-born author and former combatant in the Iran–Iraq War. According to Yahia and other sources, he was the body double of Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday Hussein. Two journalists have disputed this and other claims made by Yahia.

Of Kurdish descent, Yahia says he became Uday's double after the Iran–Iraq War had begun. At age 23, he was summoned to the presidential palace, where he discovered that Uday remembered classmates had remarked on the resemblance between the two when they were in school together. Yahia was informed that he was to become Uday's fedai (body double) to make public appearances as Uday whenever a dangerous situation was expected. Yahia initially refused to take the job and was subsequently put in solitary confinement. After his imprisonment, Latif agreed to be Uday's double. He was trained for six months to imitate Uday's speech patterns and manner. He underwent surgery and dental work to make their appearances more similar. During the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Yahia was used as a morale booster for the Iraqi troops and sent to Basra posing as Uday to meet with troops.

His relationship with Uday later deteriorated. According to Yahia, the final straw came when a woman Uday was interested in paid more attention to Yahia. Uday shot at him, grazing him. Yahia fled north, where he was imprisoned by Kurdish peshmerga, being mistaken for Uday. When they realized he was not Uday, he was released and granted asylum in Austria in 1992. After Yahia was attacked in Austria, he moved to London in 1995.

On 10 March 1997, Yahia allegedly threatened a refugee official in Norway, showing up at his office with a can of gasoline, pouring it out over the floor, and threatening to light it. The official managed to "calm" Yahia, who fled after half an hour. He was subsequently arrested by the police. He was released before his trial and left the country, first to Germany, then to Ireland.

...
Wikipedia