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Saddam captured
 In Tikrit apparently.
The news is a little tenuous at the moment tho...
News conference set for 12GMT
More, same article updated...
Tony Blair has confirmed that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has been captured alive in his home town of Tikrit. Mr Blair, who has returned to Downing Street from Chequers, said in a statement that Saddam was seized last night at around 3am this morning.
| Today's hump day in the War on Terror... |
The British Prime Minister said the arrest "removes the shadow" of his return from Iraq and "gives an opportunity for Saddam to be tried in Iraqi courts". Reports say Saddam was "dug out of a cellar" from a house in a poverty-stricken area during a raid by US forces, backed by Kurdish troops. It is claimed that DNA tests have been carried out and his identity confirmed. Saddam was apparently found with a suitcase containing half a million dollars worth of cash.
| No word on how the neighborhood came to be poverty-stricken... |
Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress, has said Saddam will probably be put on trial. A spokesman for the INC said: "We are 100% sure Saddam has been detained by American forces." A top Iraqi official said US administrator Paul Bremer called Iraqi leaders by telephone to tell them the news. The US Defence Department is still refusing to confirm the reports but a press conference has been announced for 12pm GMT. In Baghdad, a spokeswoman for the US-led operation notified reporters that a "very important" announcement will be made at the press conference. It is not known who the speaker will be. The news is spreading around Iraq rapidly and hundreds of exultant people have taken to the streets of Kirkuk and Baghdad firing weapons into the air in celebration.
From CNN...
The person in U.S. custody was disguised in a false nose and moustache fake beard when he was captured in the basement in a Tikrit building, Ahmad Chalabi of the Iraqi National Congress said. Hours after the word leaked out on the possible capture, there were volleys of what was perceived to be celebratory gunfire in Baghdad.
Beebs headline...
Saddam Hussein 'arrested in Iraq'
| Gawd, I love those scare quotes! |
Al-Jizz sez...
Saddam Hussein captured - Tony Blair
Unconfirmed reports say that ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has been captured in his hometown of Tikrit.
| My! These grapes are very sour! |
A US defence official was quoted as saying: "We may have him," on Sunday.
| Sure starting to look like it, ain't it? |
Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani was quoted by the official Iranian news agency on Sunday as saying that the leader had been captured. But these reports could not be confirmed.
| "We're waiting for something from the Baath Party..." |
Despite the lack of official confirmation, a wide range of sources are being quoted by various news agencies that they believe Saddam could be in custody. A British diplomatic source also said a suspect who could be Hussein is in custody. The US Defence Department said they could not confirm the report. Intifad Qanbar, the spokesperson for the US-backed Iraqi Governing Council, claimed DNA tests had shown that the captive was Hussein. He claimed the ousted leader had been disguised in a beard when he was captured.
| ... and a blond wig. And a bustier... |
Associated Press also qouted unnamed Iraqi officials as citing US occupying administrator Paul Bremer as saying the ousted leader has been captured. But US military officials in Baghdad refused to confirm the reports, saying a press conference at 3:00pm (1200GMT) would be held. Earlier, Nazim Dabbagh, a representative of Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, confirmed Talabani's statement. In Hussein's hometown of Tikrit and elsewhere in the country, people poured into the streets at the news.
Fox News sez...
The snag was by U.S. Special Forces... No resistance... Based on local intel tip somebody suddenly became very wealthy... Reports say he apparently dug himself a hole and pulled it in over himself, and the troops had to dig him out with shovels... Being held in Baghdad...
CPA Briefing
"Ladies and gentlemen, we got 'im!... The tyrant is a prisoner." Calls for opposition to end, lay down arms, join Iraqis in building the new Iraq. Sanchez sez it was 4th ID and Special Forces, the site a farmhouse near Tikrit, at Adwar. Not a shot was fired. Sammy is talkative and cooperative. Operations was called Red Dawn. Approx 600 troops took part. Detected a camouflaged spider hole entrance, with Sammy hiding at the bottom 6-8 feet deep, with enough space for a person to lie down inside it. 2 AK47s, a pistol, a taxi, and $750,000 in $100 bills. Two other Iraqis detained. They showed pictures of Sammy being examined weeping by Iraqis at the briefing, and not tears of despair... Best part was seeing Sammy's head examined for lice...
News briefing first English question was "How did he manage to elude capture for so long?"...
A tidbit from Albawaba...
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Janabi, a leader of the Iraqi National Accord (INA), one of the groups opposed to Saddam's regime, told Albawaba by phone, "I can confirm ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was captured in Tikrit." He added that Saddam was arrested while, "wearing a traditional Arab gown (Dishdashah), carrying a rifle, pistol and wearing an explosive belt strapped around his body, but he used none of them as he preferred to give himself up." Furthermore, Janabi said Saddam was arrested along with two of his bodyguards.
| The CPA brief didn't say anything about the boom belt, or even about Sammy being armed and dangerous, only that a couple AKs were captured. I'd guess this would be embroidery though it'd make good propaganda. |
Posted by: Lux 2003-12-14 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=22693 |
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