FORMER Iraqi army lieutenant Latif Yahia, strolled into the Omniplex Cinema last Saturday, to see his life as ‘fiday’ – or body double – to the notorious Uday Hussein played out on screen by actor Dominic Cooper in The Devil’s Double. Said a staff member: “I instantly recognised him. He was with a party of 20, and not only did he pay for all tickets, but treated each to popcorn, coke and sweets. “All were immaculately dressed and Latif sported what looked like a very expensive watch on his wrist.
“I welcomed him – I had seen the movie earlier, and he said he was looking forward to it. He did not say if he was holidaying or living in the Limerick area, and I did not like to quiz him.
“Later, staff looked back over CCTV footage and we were left in no doubt that our guest was Latif Yahia”.
The film is based on a gripping true story of money, power and opulent decadence. It looks into the lawless playground of excess and violence known as Baghdad, 1987.
Latif and Uday attended the same school and bore a striking resemblance to each other.
Summoned from the front-line to Saddam Hussein’s palace, Latif Yahia was thrust into the highest echelons of the “royal family” when he was ordered to become the ‘fiday’ – or body double – to Saddam’s son, the notorious “Black Prince” Uday Hussein.
He underwent cosmetic surgery to look even more like Uday and trained to act like him.
With his and his family’s lives at stake, Latif was forced to surrender his former self forever.
But nothing could have prepared him for the horror of the Black Prince’s psychotic, drug-addled life of fast cars, easy women and impulsive violence.
