"In 1970 an Antonov (aircraft) with Saddam Hussein aboard hit a chunk of concrete our men had left on the runway by mistake," said Ivan Carnogursky, at the time in charge of about 200 Slovakian and Czech workers based at Nasiriya, quoted by the daily Pravda.

He said the plane in which Saddam was travelling was bounced into the air by the impact but somehow the pilot got the plane under control and it landed safely.

When a furious Saddam finally emerged he began cursing everyone in sight, Carnogursky told the daily.

"He already sounded like a dictator," he said.

WAR.WIRE