Jiddah (Saudi Arabia), Aug 16: Idi Amin, whose eight years as President of Uganda were characterised by bizarre and murderous behavior, died today, a hospital official said.
Amin was 80, Ugandan officials said, though other sources
had him born in 1925.
Amin had been hospitalized on life-support since July 18.
He was in a coma and suffering from high blood pressure when
he was admitted to the King Faisal specialist hospital. Later,
hospital staff, said he suffered kidney failure.
Amin was forced from Uganda in 1979, fled to Libya, then
Iraq and finally Saudi Arabia, where he was allowed to settle
provided he stayed out of politics.
A one-time heavyweight boxing champ and soldier in the
British colonial army, Amin seized power on Jan 25, 1971,
overthrowing President Milton Obote while Obote was abroad.
Human rights groups say as many as 500,000 people were
killed during Amin's 1971-1979 rule over Uganda.
Bureau Report
