Iraqis recover rare Kuwait manuscript – Stolen in Occupation

BAGHDAD, Dec 23, (KUNA): Iraqi security personnel have seized a unique Kuwaiti ancient manuscript that had been stolen during the 1990-1991 Iraqi occupation of the country. Adel Al-Husseini, the police chief in Babel, told Kuwait News Agency that a relics’ trader was nabbed as he tried to sell the piece, worth millions of US dollars.

A freshly-established security team lured the man to a cafe in Al-Hella, the provincial city in Babel, pretending to be interested buyers. When he showed up for the trade, the personnel detained him instantly.

Al-Hussein explained to the Kuwaiti news agency that the trader, who was a former Iraqi Army soldier, had stolen the piece from Kuwait Museum during the country’s occupation that began in August 1990, adding that he intended to sell it for $45 million.

The piece is made of deer leather, engraved with letters in an ancient language. It also bears stamp of the Kuwaiti museum.

The police chief said the Iraqi Government should take a decision with regard of handing it over to Kuwait, pending completion of the investigations.