A local scientist who fled Iraq in fear of his life spoke out against Saddam Hussein and his regime Monday.

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Local Scientist Discusses Nuclear Materials In Iraq

Dr. Gazi George, who now lives in Oakland Township with his wife and three children, worked on Iraq's nuclear research as Saddam rose to power, but fled the country in fear of his life as he challenged the authorities, Local 4 reported.

George told the station that he long feared Saddam would retaliate against he and his family, but with the U.S. invasion of Iraq, he now feels more secure in sharing his secrets.

He supports the war to remove the dictator's regime. "Saddam is a bad person, a dictator and a ruthless ruler," George told The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.

"I hate war, but Saddam must be destroyed. I saw designs for dirty bombs and nuclear weapons. He simply wants to kill."

George spent five years as a top official at a nuclear power plant in Iraq, where he was reportedly ordered to hide large amounts of uranium.

"Thinking back, I remember the authorities insisted on hiding materials deep underground or beneath swimming pools," George told the paper.

The plant was reportedly destroyed by Israeli fighter jets in 1981, before it could be put into operation.

Baghdad-born George landed a post with the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission in the mid 1970s. "It was a time when the Iraqi government were offering good money to research scientists. It was a great opportunity," George told the paper.

He added, "It was a time when Saddam was just starting to come to power, but I knew little of him then."

George told the paper he became concerned when the demands of the work increased, with a tremendous amount of secrecy about the materials that were ordered.

"By 1980, Saddam was taking a keen interest in our work and I knew he was trying to build a nuclear bomb," George said.

George's contract expired in 1981, but he said authorities would not let him leave. "My sister sent in papers from a doctor friend saying I had cancer and needed treatment in Europe. I tricked my way out."

He reportedly started receiving threatening phone calls from the Iraqi Embassy in London; and the calls continued when he landed a job in the United States.

George told Local 4 he is confident the United States will find evidence of nuclear materials in Iraq. "From the inspectors of the United Nations, I think someone is going to find that uranium in Iraq."