Novel Role: Saddam Hussein

London, May 2 (PTI): Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is writing a novel in which he casts himself as the hero and President George W. Bush as a villain, a newspaper report said here.

Hussein has been allowed to write the novel as “his interrogators hope it will provide clues to his mindset — and how to handle the situation in Iraq today,” the Sunday Express reported.

The novel’s villains are British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Bush.

Saddam calls his hero Salim, “a pure virtuous Arab, tall and handsome with a straight nose and full moustache”.

Saddam has written two previous titles, both best-sellers in Iraq.

His new venture came to light last week when he was visited by an International Red Cross team, the Express report said.

Saddam was captured by American troops late last year from a hiding place in his hometown of Tikrit.

He is being held at a high-security prison in an unknown place since.