] Detroit, March 26: Sacred Heart Church on Seven Mile Road
] is the church Saddam Hussein built.
]
] In 1980, Reverend Jacob Yasso flew to Baghdad and met
] with Hussein, who wanted to help Iraqi Christians who had
] come to America. That year, Hussein sent $1.5 million to
] cover the church%u2019s debt and build a social hall and
] day-care centre.
]
] Last Friday, 450 parishioners gathered at Sacred Heart
] for a service.
]
] They prayed for Hussein%u2019s overthrow. They also
] prayed for a miracle %u2014 that loved ones who
] disappeared in Iraq during the dictator%u2019s reign
] would be found alive after the war. Father Yasso says
] more than half of the parish%u2019s 1,200 families have
] missing loved ones in Iraq.
]
] The 70-year-old Iraqi-born priest says he decided Hussein
] was %u2018%u2018evil%u2019%u2019 in the years following
] his meeting with the ruler, as newcomers to his church
] told their stories about the regime. %u2018%u2018I shook
] his hand in 1980,%u2019%u2019 he says. %u2018%u2018Now,
] he is the devil.%u2019%u2019