Iraq embassy caretaker's lone stand

By Dumeetha Luthra
BBC correspondent in Baghdad

Mehdi Alwan shows one of the embassy's pictures of the Queen

After 12 lonely years of protecting and maintaining the deserted British embassy in Baghdad, caretaker Mehdi Alwan finally has company again.

Britain is re-establishing an embassy in Iraq's capital, with an advance party already setting up offices in its grounds.

It is headed by Christopher Segar, the former deputy head of the mission before the embassy was evacuated during the 1991 Gulf War.

Since then the old colonial-style building has fallen into total disrepair.

But it is still standing and contains items from that time - due solely to Mr Alwan.

As caretaker and guard he has looked after the place in everyone's absence, protecting it from looters and maintaining the property as best he could.

Royal crest

Mr Alwan was proud as he surveyed his work on a tour of the embassy grounds.

All this embassy is in my blood. I have to protect it

Mehdi Alwan
Embassy caretaker

The lawn was well trimmed if a bit dry from lack of water. The shrubs were flowering and when I first met him, Mr Alwan had just been carefully raking the fallen leaves from the terrace.

Above the old building the royal crest gleamed. When looters armed with Kalashnikovs tried to steal it, Mr Alwan had to call in his sons.

He described how the three fought off the armed men and wrested back the crest.

"My two sons and I did everything we could to protect the embassy.

"Four men - they tried to shoot at me. I called my sons. We protected the crest."

Army of helpers

It is thanks to Mr Alwan that the embassy has much of its history still intact.

It's almost like being on your own home soil, it's really nice being here

Private Chris Boylan

He explained his loyalty simply, with a shrug and a matter of fact nonchalance.

"This is my job, I work here for about 25 years. All this embassy is in my blood. I have to protect it."

Now he has an army of helpers. Literally.

A brigade from the First Parachute Regiment came in and secured the grounds last week.

Since then they have been sorting through the club house, discovering a place that has lain untouched for more than a decade.

'Very privileged'

There are books and cine-films from a bygone time. A piano stands in one corner.

The bar has long been stripped of any glasses or cocktail shakers.

For the brigade clearing all this up is unexpected but enjoyable, as Private Chris Boylan explained.

"It's almost like being on your own home soil, it's really nice being here. I never thought for one moment we'd end up at the British embassy.

"I knew we'd be going into Iraq but the prospect of going into Baghdad was unlikely. I feel very privileged to have got down here."

Mr Alwan watched as mobile offices were moved onto his lawn.

He is glad the British are back so he can now relax and enjoy the fruits of 12 years of solitary surveillance.