Saddam lookalike attacked by gang who tried to kidnap him and force him to impersonate the dictator in porn film



An Egyptian Saddam Hussein lookalike claims an Iraqi gang tried to kidnap him and force him to make a pornographic film impersonating the late dictator.



Mohamed Bishr, who comes from Alexandria, said the group hoped to sell their video as exclusive erotic footage of the former leader.



He claims the gang beat him severely when he refused to go along with the plan, despite being offered $333,000 (£205,000).

Victim: Mohamed Bishr was attacked and almost kidnapped by a gang who wanted him to star as Saddam Hussein in a porn film

The devout Muslim says the gang made threatening phone calls saying they would kidnap him unless he changed his mind.



In October last year, he was leapt on while en route to a cafe in Alexandria by three men in black suits who tried to bundle him into a vehicle.



Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Bishr told the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper: 'The three men, who had guns hanging from their belts, forced me out of my car and shoved me into a van, hitting my head.'

Seeing double: Saddam Hussein, pictured, was known to surround himself with body doubles in a bid to thwart assassination attempts

His final memory is of the men shouting to each other before he was thrown from the van to the pavement and hit his head.



According to The Times, his family said the attackers had either Iraqi or Syrian accents.



Unwilling doppleganger Mr Bishr said there were witnesses to his near-abduction, but that they were too frightened to intervene.

The Egyptian bears such a strong resemblance to Saddam that he has previously been assaulted by Iraqis living in Egypt who mistook him for the despot and hoped to claim a reward by turning him in.



The former Iraqi leader, who was executed in December 2006, was known to keep body doubles in his entourage to help thwart attempts on his life.



Mr Bishr's sons said he has moved four times in a bid to avoid the attacks.

