Career
He also was an advisor to his predecessor, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Prior to returning to Iraq, he worked in the United States as an engineer and actor, appearing in small roles in Three Kings, 24, and Hidalgo. Ridah is the son of a wealthy Iraqi jeweler.
Their fates were unknown until after the fall of Hussein"s regime.
His family found records of their execution. Ridah fled to the United States in 1982, bribing officials for a passport and dropping his last name.
He graduated with a Bachelor in mechanical engineering in 1987 from Louisiana State University. After moving to Los Angeles, he worked as a state engineer and then started a home inspection business.
A job as a cultural advisor for the film Three Kings led to an on-screen role as "Black Robe Leader", which led to parts in other Hollywood productions.
Following the fall of Saddam Hussein, Ridah returned to work for the new Iraqi government. In charge of overseeing executions, he was on vacation in Dubai and was not present for Execution of Saddam Hussein, since the United States handed him over earlier than expected. Since then, he has worked to reduce the suffering of executions.
