First flight from Baghdad to London in 20 years ends in farce with plane impounded

The first flight from Baghdad to London in 20 years has ended in farce with the plane impounded at Gatwick airport after Kuwait went to the High Court demanding £780 million for planes stolen by Saddam Hussein.
A two decade lawsuit, the UK's longest running legal dispute, over the theft of 10 planes owned by Kuwait at the time of the 1990 invasion by Iraq resulted in the detention of the aircraft and the confiscation of the passport of Iraqi Airways' chief executive Kifah Hassan.
Lawyers for Kuwait Airlines said that Mr Hassan would be required to detail the assets of the state run carrier before the London courts.
Chris Gooding of Fasken Martineau solicitors, acting for Kuwait Airways, said the airline's patience "has run out" after a lengthy legal battle ending up in the High Court.
"To fly into this jurisdiction where they owe $1.2 billion (£780 million) was innocent at best and arrogant at worst," he said. "The obligation is on (Hassan) to provide an affidavit of the assets of Iraqi Airways worldwide."
Iraqi diplomats expressed fury at the decision to impound the aircraft.
A statement from the Ministry of Transport in Baghdad said: "The ministry is surprised by the escalating and provocative behavior taken by the Kuwaiti authorities, insisting on harassing and embarrassing Iraqis wherever they attempt to open a window to the outside world."
The dispute has made its way through the London courts since the aftermath of the 1990 invasion of the oil rich emirate by Iraq.
Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi dictator, triggered the Gulf War by staging a lightning assault on Kuwait. The oil-rich emirate was liberated after a 100-hour military campaign in 1991, which Britain joined as the second largest contributor.
The High Court issued the order authorising Kuwait Airways to seize the assets of its Iraqi counterpart in 2004.
Mr Gooding said Kuwait was not targeting Mr Hassan personally. He said: "Basically Iraqi Airways have to turn up with an affidavit of their assets worldwide. Then we'll wish him godspeed and he'll be on his way."
Iraq admits that its officials commandeered 10 Bombardier jets in 1990 but claims that four of the aircraft were destroyed at Mosul Airport in Western bombing raids, while the remaining six were returned to Kuwait via Iran.
The incident is the latest episode in what critics have described as the British curse of litigation tourism. Libel actions, war crimes disputes and commercial actions related to foreign disputes have been contentiously brought before British judges in recent years.
Attempts to set up direct flights between Britain and Iraq have been bedevilled since the 2003 invasion. British officials were repeatedly frustated in efforts to get a scheduled flight service to Basra when the city was under the control of the British military.
The flight, which landed on Sunday, was heralded as a fresh beginning by Iraqi officials. However its fate has revived the demons of another bitter conflict.
- Daily Telegraph.

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