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U.S. Officials Say Saddam's Not Talking
"I ain't sayin' nuttin' widdout me mout'piece!"
He doesn't have a lawyer in the room, but Saddam Hussein apparently is practicing what most attorneys would advise: Don't talk. Diplomatic and military officials say the former Iraqi leader has provided little useful information in interrogations so far - and may even be having fun.
| "Youse guys, wotta buncha cards. Okay, one more time: so the Sunni says to the Shi'a, 'that's not a pig!'" [laughter] |
The questioning of Saddam - initially handled by the CIA - is now a joint CIA-FBI operation, a sign that the aim is changing from finding intelligence to gathering evidence for any eventual trials. The people who are asking the questions at the moment are from the FBI, said a U.S. intelligence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
| "I can say no more -- on the record." |
In a recent interview, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said he occasionally sees the interrogation briefing reports. "He's a pretty wily guy, and he's not giving much information that I've seen. But he seems to be enjoying the debate," Armitage told WPHT-AM radio in Philadelphia. House Intelligence Chairman Porter Goss, R-Fla., now calls the questioning a "patience project." "He is very good at denial and deception. I am not sure he even knows what the truth is anymore," Goss said. "I think he's been surrounded by yes-men and syncophants."
| I think Sammy's been living in his own world for years. Reality's what he says it is... |
In an interview last week, FBI Director Robert Mueller said the FBI is assisting with "certain interrogations" in Iraq, as well as helping with investigations into killings there. He said the bureau is also working with documents obtained in Iraq. Those most likely include Saddam's papers. Vince Cannistraro, a former counterterrorism director for the CIA, said papers found with Saddam when he was captured have proved much more useful than anything the former leader has said. "Every thing that they have found and taken action on has come from documentation found on him," Cannistraro said. A team of 50 Justice Department prosecutors, investigators and support staff has traveled to Iraq to help assemble a war-crimes case against Saddam and others in his former government.
| I have the feeling Sammy's trial's going to be much more elaborate and complicated than it should be. I have visions of clowns, elephants, midgets and ladies in tights turning somersaults on a high wire. Not to mention ambulatory papier mache heads and guys on stilts... |
But Justice officials take pains to say that the United States is there only to assist the Iraqis with advice on what their options for a trial might be. The officials say they are helping the Iraqis to organize evidence and lay out possible charges, and aiding them in finding cooperating witnesses and key documents. The U.S. team is joined by legal experts from Britain, Spain and Poland. While it's possible Saddam could be put on trial before any others, Justice officials say another approach would be to start lower and work up the ladder of seniority. The hope would be that some Iraqi officials might be persuaded to testify against Saddam to avoid harsh sentences.
| They'd have to be pretty brave; Saddam can still scare them to death. |
Posted by: Steve White 2004-03-30 |
