You just can't keep a good man (or joke) down.

Contrary to unconfirmed reports of his suicide (http://media.guardian.co.uk/iraqandthemedia/story/0,12823,937433,00.html), former Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf has resurfaced as a Microsoft spokesman.

At least that's what the cheeky chaps behind TheInformationMinister.com (http://www.theinformationminister.com) would have us believe.

Fans of Comical Ali's inventive line of invective will be pleased to note he's handled the move from Baghdad to Redmond with aplomb.

Even though al-Sahaf was an apologist for a murderous regime, his star-quality shines through.

"Windows has no bugs. None! None I tell you! We will be shipping product soon," Comical Ali pronounces in the well-executed Flash animation.

"Linux is a lie. It is used by no one! It has no market penetration! None I tell you now," he continues in the mock-up Redmond via Baghdad broadcast.

"We are secure now. We have always been secure! Praise Allah!"

A role in Redmond has previously been touted for MSS (There are no bugs in our software! Never, I tell you.) at the original WeLoveTheIraqiInformationMinister.com (http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/mss_jobs.html) site. However TheInformationMinister.com (http://www.theinformationminister.com) takes one things further by clever use of b3ta.com (http://www.b3ta.com)-style animation.

Nice work, fellas.

The latest Iraqi information minister homage site is a low bandwidth affair ("I now inform you that our bandwidth bill is too far from reality. Please visit our sponsors"). So by bringing the site the attention of a wider public we've probably flattened it.

We suggest you try again at the weekend when the owners might have sorted out some proper bandwidth.

Surely there's a university server somewhere that can host this fine piece of work (http://www.theinformationminister.com)? ®

Related Stories

Why we love the Iraqi information minister (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/28/30211.html)
Sunderland FC and the Iraqi minister of information (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/28/30219.html)

External Links

Profile of al-Sahaf, by CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/08/sprj.irq.sahaf.profile.reut)