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US hopes raised of Saddam hit
Officials in the United States have expressed hope that a strike on a convoy in Iraq may have killed former President Saddam Hussein or his sons. Investigations, including DNA testing, are reported to be taking place into the identities of the victims in last week's air strike. Confusion still reigns about the level of intelligence which prompted the attack, as defence sources have given widely varying accounts of events to the media. The Pentagon has refused officially to confirm or deny that an attempt to kill the former Iraqi leader has taken place. But the speculation has led to optimism that the Iraqi leader may have been killed. I'm not holding my breath Spokesmen for the US Central Command have turned down all opportunities to confirm or deny on the record reports that American Hellfire missiles were fired from an unmanned aircraft. Predator's R'Us. But plenty of speculation is going on off the record. Demonstrating the level of uncertainty that still surrounds events, one unnamed administration official told the New York Times that a good intelligence lead had instigated the convoy attack. But another said: "I have no information that leads us to believe we got Saddam." Officials said a team was moving in to try to recover the DNA of those who were in the convoy in order to check their identities, but it was unclear whether or not that work had begun. The search for the deposed leader has intensified since the capture of his close aide, Mahmud al-Tikriti, who has told American interrogators that Saddam Hussein and his sons are still alive. Last week's air strike is reported to have taken place near the Syrian border in western Iraq. Gee, what a surprise! Mahmud al-Tikriti said he had fled to Syria with the former president's two sons, Uday and Qusay but they had later returned to Iraq. Did they want to return, or were they asked to leave? Posted by: Steve 2003-06-23 |
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