LONDON, Dec 14: Saddam Hussein made a phone call or posted a letter at least once a week to his second wife and his only surviving son in Beirut, Britain’s Sunday Times reported, claiming to have interviewed her through an intermediary.

Samira Shahbandar told the paper she had been given permission to live in France and expected to move to Paris next month.

She is reported to have spoken with affection of Saddam and said he attributed his loss of power to betrayal by his closest aides.

According to the paper, Samira and Saddam’s son Ali are living under assumed names. Samira claims Saddam visited her in person on April 9, as Baghdad was falling, and gave her five million dollars in cash.—dpa