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Seizing the Spoils of the Iraq War
Gold-Plated Guns, Paintings Confiscated by Customs Agents
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 View a photo gallery of confiscated Iraqi items
A painting of Saddam Hussein and knives, part of a load of items confiscated by Customs agents from journalists and a U.S. serviceman.
Photo: Eric Niiler, NPR News
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April 23, 2003 -- Customs officials Wednesday showed off the booty confiscated from several members of the media and a U.S. serviceman, who allegedly attempted to ship items from Iraq back to the United States. NPR's Eric Niiler reports that the items ranged from unassuming portraits of Saddam Hussein's family to gilded weapons.
Among the items seized at airports in London, Boston and the Washington, D.C., area are 15 paintings, gold-plated firearms, ornamental knives and bank bonds. U.S. policy states that all such items belong to the Iraqi people.
Only one person -- Benjamin James Johnson, who worked as an engineer for Fox News Channel in Iraq -- has been charged or even named by the government. Johnson is accused of taking paintings and Iraqi monetary bonds from a palace that belonged to Saddam's son Uday. He reportedly told Customs officials he planned to keep the paintings "for decoration."
Officials say an unidentified U.S. serviceman attempted to ship a gold-plated assault weapon, rifle and pistol, stolen from an Iraqi military base, to his home base.
None of the items seized are part of the priceless collection of art and artifacts looted from Iraqi museums and homes after the fall of Saddam's regime.
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NPR News Coverage of the War in Iraq
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• Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
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