16 Facts About Hussain al-Shahristani

Hussain Ibrahim Saleh al-Shahristani was born on 1942 and is an Iraqi politician who served in different cabinet posts, including as Iraq's Minister of Higher Education.

Hussain al-Shahristani earned a BSc in chemical engineering from Imperial College London in 1965, and an MSc from the University of Toronto in 1967, from where he received a PhD in chemical engineering in 1970.

Hussain al-Shahristani specialised in the design and building of nuclear reactors.

Hussain al-Shahristani was appointed oil minister in May 2006 after the withdrawal of the Islamic Virtue Party Minister, which was a Shia from the government coalition.

Hussain al-Shahristani has made some significant achievements in period of December 2012 to February 2013.

Hussain al-Shahristani is recognised as the architect of Iraq's oil future and during his time Iraq oil output reached a 20-Year high.

Former government officials, including Khidir Hamza his successor, have claimed Hussain al-Shahristani was imprisoned for his refusal to cooperate with Saddam's WMD program and his intentions to build nuclear weapons.

Hussain al-Shahristani was imprisoned personally by Saddam Hussein and was threatened directly by him too.

Hussain al-Shahristani was put in a solitary confinement prison cell for 8 years and was not allowed to make any communication with his family or the outside world during that period.

Hussain al-Shahristani escaped from Abu Ghraib during the 1991 Gulf War and went to Iran, where he left for UK.

Hussain al-Shahristani obtained his freedom in an extremely daring 'Hollywood' style escape plan which was conceived, orchestrated and implemented by him.

Hussain al-Shahristani went on to set up humanitarian aid organisations for the millions of Iraqi refugees during the Saddam era.

Hussain al-Shahristani later continued his support for the victims of Saddams's regime and the Gulf War as head of the Iraqi Political Prisoners Union and as Chief of the Iraqi Refugees Relief Committee.

Hussain al-Shahristani was presented the award by Maria van der Hoeven, executive director of the International Energy Agency IEA.

Hussain al-Shahristani was eventually sentenced to 20 years and spent 11 in prison, some in solitary confinement.

Hussain al-Shahristani has been tipped by analysts close to decision makers in Iraq as a serious contender for the PM job.