WA: Peace activist flees Baghdad and arrives in Jordan
PERTH, April 13 AAP - Peace activist and Uniting Church minister Neville Watson hasfled war-torn Baghdad on his way back to Australia.
The Reverend Watson left family and friends in Perth earlier this year to go to Baghdadin a bid to support the Iraqi people through a war, but is now returning home.
Before leaving Baghdad he emailed that he feared anarchy in Baghdad would lead to theoutbreak of civil war.
He had predicted his exit would be dangerous, with "many stories of cars being shotup by trigger-happy pilots and ground troops".
Mr Watson's son Mike told AAP today that in the latest email he received this morning,his father had successfully fled Baghdad and arrived in Jordan and was preparing to flyhome to Australia.
Mike Watson said his father told the family that Iraqis may be celebrating after SaddamHussein lost power but there was absolute devastation in the region.
"Dad has told us stories about how children have been maimed for life, how women havebeen scarred and burnt and how teenagers have been slaughtered," Mike Watson said.
"It is horrific and although we are relieved that Dad is on his way back home safely,it is tarnished by the horrible stories of what the people in Iraq have gone through.
"We will all be very relieved when he is home here safe and sound."
He said his father had earlier said he had been constantly evaluating the situationin Iraq and would leave when he felt he would no longer be of value there.
He also wanted to talk of his experiences.
Although arrival details have not yet been finalised, Mike Watson said he believedhis father would probably fly into Perth on Tuesday or Thursday depending on when he couldget a flight out of Jordan.
AAP ajm/cjh/jlw
KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST WATSON
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