WASHINGTON, June 6: The cousin of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, known as “Chemical Ali”, who US and British officials earlier said they thought died in a bombing raid on April 5, may still be alive, US defence officials said on Thursday.

US forces bombed the home of Ali Hassan al-Majid in Basra during the invasion, and British and American officials expressed confidence at the time that Majid had been killed.

But US Central Command and officials at the Pentagon said his status now was considered uncertain.

“People had thought that he was dead, but there was always a question mark. That doesn’t mean that he is alive. We’re just more confident in saying, ‘I don’t know,’” said an official.

Majid is listed as No 5 on Central Command’s list of top-55 wanted Iraqis from Saddam’s government, and is designated as the “king of spades” in the deck of cards given to US soldiers.

Majid earned his moniker for ordering a chemical weapon attack against 5,000 Kurds in the Iraqi village of Halabja in 1988 to end decades of insurrection. At the time, Iraq was a US ally.

Maj. Brad Lowell, a Central Command spokesman, said “there is no disposition next to his name” on Central Command’s list.

“Therefore, he’s at large,” Lowell said.

Lowell said he was unaware of any recent intelligence information that led to a reassessment of Majid’s status.

“Chemical Ali,” if caught, potentially could provide information about Iraqi weapons programmes. he added.

“Anyone on that top-55 list is important to us,” Lowell said.

“He has that nickname or that tag for a reason.

“He happens to have a background in chemical weapons.”—Reuters