Saddam Hussein’s atrocities against people in general and in particular, Shias, is well documented and no secret.
The Biography of Biographies, a collection of pesonal accounts from the Ansar about their experiences with the dawah,, discusses the threat form Saddam Hussein:
“Once the Imam (pbuh) was in a house and Saddam’s forces surrounded the house and they climbed the walls and asked where Ahmed Al Hassan was!?! The Imam (pbuh) was sitting next to his mother (may Allah bless her soul). The Imam was as if he was in another world: he didn’t move at all and Saddam’s forces were in the house looking in each room, but they didn’t find him!!! I was shocked and perplexed??? Ya Allah!!! So I went to the Imam I said how??? He looked at me and said leave that brother of course a miracle by Allah swt that blinded these wretched men of Saddam.” (p.22)
Saddam Hussein was also infamous for having a whole copy of the Qur’an written in his own blood.
Scholars who are in the pockets of such tyrants do not hesitate to follow their every lead and whim.
What more explanation does this question require!