Saddam Hussein’s nephew escaped from prison today in northern Iraq, authorities said.

The Iraqi government has asked for Interpol’s help in securing the arrest and extradition of one of Saddam Hussein’s nephews, believed to be in Yemen and facing charges in Iraq for his alleged role in the insurgency, the US military said today.

A nephew of Saddam Hussein was sentence to life in prison today for funding Iraq’s violent insurgency and bomb-making, the Iraqi government announced, marking the first verdict against a family member of the former Iraqi leader.

Yahya Barzanji, Irbil