kyle
14th December 2003, 11:58 PM
Blair confirms Saddam arrest
From correspondents in Baghdad
December 14, 2003
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed today that deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had been captured alive in Iraq, saying in a statement that Saddam was apprehended.
"I very much welcome the capture last night of Saddam Hussein," the prime minister, US President George W Bush's closest ally in the Iraqi war, said in a statement released by his office.
"This is very good news for the people of Iraq. It removes the shadow that has been hanging over them for too long of the nightmare of a return to the Saddam regime.
"This fear is now removed," the statement continued.
"It also gives an opportunity for Saddam to be tried in Iraqi courts for his crimes against the Iraqi people.
"We should try now to unite the whole of Iraq in rebuilding the country and offering it a new future."
Earlier, Iraqi Council member Dara Noor al-Din told The Associated Press that the council was informed of the former dictator's capture in a telephone call from Bremer.
"Bremer has confirmed to the Governing Council that Saddam was captured in Tikrit," Noor al-Din said. "He spoke on the phone to several members, including Ahmad Chalabi."
Chalabi is a leading member of the council who has close links to the US administration of President George W Bush.
Kurdish sources told the Arabic television channel al-Jazeera that the military wing of the PUK joined US forces in the raid which captured the former Iraqi leader.
DPA news agency reported a spokesman for the Iraqi National Council as saying Saddam was wearing a fake white beard when he was arrested.
Intifad Qanbar told the Arabic television channel al-Jazeera that the ex-leader underwent DNA testing to confirm his identity.
"This is a historic moment. You have no idea how happy I am," Qanbar told al-Jazeera.
The station also quoted a British diplomatic source as saying that someone who looks like Saddam was arrested in Tikrit.
The US military was still to confirm the arrest.
US media were widely reporting unconfirmed information that Saddam has been captured in a raid on his hometown of Tikrit.
All three major US cable news channels were carrying the report, including MSNBC, which showed the text "US official: Military believes Saddam captured, awaiting DNA" at the bottom of the screen.
In Tikrit, rumours that the former dictator was in custody were making the rounds, but reporters attached to the 4th Infantry Division, the US unit in charge of security in the area, said there was no unusual activity there overnight or early on Sunday (local time).
"We are celebrating like it's a wedding," said Mustapha Sheriff, a resident of Kirkuk. "We are finally rid of that criminal."
"This is the joy of a lifetime," said Ali Al-Bashiri, another Kirkuk resident. "I am speaking on behalf of all the people that suffered under his rule."
Similar scenes were reported in the mainly Shiite southern port city of Basra.
Saddam, who ruled Iraq for 23 years until his ouster in April, has been a fugitive since then with a $US25 million bounty on his head.
Rumours about Saddam's capture or death periodically surface, and a hotline set up by the occupation authorities for tips on his whereabouts is flooded with callers.
Chalabi was quoted as saying Saddam was "dug out from a cellar" by US forces.
Saddam was to be put on trial, Chalabi said.
"Let him face justice", he said.
The US military has apparently captured former Iraqi Saddam, a US defence official said.
"We think we have him," said the official, who asked not to be identified. "We are still working through the identity issue."
The official would provide no details of the overnight raid other than to say it was conducted against what were believed to be senior officials of the former government.
The Associated Press reported US officials as saying the US military captured a man in the basement of a building in Tikrit, Iraq, during raids seeking Saddam Hussein.
Initial efforts to verify his identity indicate he is the deposed Iraqi dictator, the officials said.
"It certainly looks good," one senior US official said, cautioning more scientific testing, possibly DNA, was being done early this morning (local time) to try to confirm the identity.
The official said the captured man's appearance did not immediately look like Saddam, but additional efforts to ascertain his identity indicated he was the former leader.
The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity.
ha ha ha. the mutha fcuker got captured in his own town ha ha:D, its so funny as he is going to die, for a good reason to, he killed so many innocent people, even his own. die die die
From correspondents in Baghdad
December 14, 2003
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed today that deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had been captured alive in Iraq, saying in a statement that Saddam was apprehended.
"I very much welcome the capture last night of Saddam Hussein," the prime minister, US President George W Bush's closest ally in the Iraqi war, said in a statement released by his office.
"This is very good news for the people of Iraq. It removes the shadow that has been hanging over them for too long of the nightmare of a return to the Saddam regime.
"This fear is now removed," the statement continued.
"It also gives an opportunity for Saddam to be tried in Iraqi courts for his crimes against the Iraqi people.
"We should try now to unite the whole of Iraq in rebuilding the country and offering it a new future."
Earlier, Iraqi Council member Dara Noor al-Din told The Associated Press that the council was informed of the former dictator's capture in a telephone call from Bremer.
"Bremer has confirmed to the Governing Council that Saddam was captured in Tikrit," Noor al-Din said. "He spoke on the phone to several members, including Ahmad Chalabi."
Chalabi is a leading member of the council who has close links to the US administration of President George W Bush.
Kurdish sources told the Arabic television channel al-Jazeera that the military wing of the PUK joined US forces in the raid which captured the former Iraqi leader.
DPA news agency reported a spokesman for the Iraqi National Council as saying Saddam was wearing a fake white beard when he was arrested.
Intifad Qanbar told the Arabic television channel al-Jazeera that the ex-leader underwent DNA testing to confirm his identity.
"This is a historic moment. You have no idea how happy I am," Qanbar told al-Jazeera.
The station also quoted a British diplomatic source as saying that someone who looks like Saddam was arrested in Tikrit.
The US military was still to confirm the arrest.
US media were widely reporting unconfirmed information that Saddam has been captured in a raid on his hometown of Tikrit.
All three major US cable news channels were carrying the report, including MSNBC, which showed the text "US official: Military believes Saddam captured, awaiting DNA" at the bottom of the screen.
In Tikrit, rumours that the former dictator was in custody were making the rounds, but reporters attached to the 4th Infantry Division, the US unit in charge of security in the area, said there was no unusual activity there overnight or early on Sunday (local time).
"We are celebrating like it's a wedding," said Mustapha Sheriff, a resident of Kirkuk. "We are finally rid of that criminal."
"This is the joy of a lifetime," said Ali Al-Bashiri, another Kirkuk resident. "I am speaking on behalf of all the people that suffered under his rule."
Similar scenes were reported in the mainly Shiite southern port city of Basra.
Saddam, who ruled Iraq for 23 years until his ouster in April, has been a fugitive since then with a $US25 million bounty on his head.
Rumours about Saddam's capture or death periodically surface, and a hotline set up by the occupation authorities for tips on his whereabouts is flooded with callers.
Chalabi was quoted as saying Saddam was "dug out from a cellar" by US forces.
Saddam was to be put on trial, Chalabi said.
"Let him face justice", he said.
The US military has apparently captured former Iraqi Saddam, a US defence official said.
"We think we have him," said the official, who asked not to be identified. "We are still working through the identity issue."
The official would provide no details of the overnight raid other than to say it was conducted against what were believed to be senior officials of the former government.
The Associated Press reported US officials as saying the US military captured a man in the basement of a building in Tikrit, Iraq, during raids seeking Saddam Hussein.
Initial efforts to verify his identity indicate he is the deposed Iraqi dictator, the officials said.
"It certainly looks good," one senior US official said, cautioning more scientific testing, possibly DNA, was being done early this morning (local time) to try to confirm the identity.
The official said the captured man's appearance did not immediately look like Saddam, but additional efforts to ascertain his identity indicated he was the former leader.
The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity.
ha ha ha. the mutha fcuker got captured in his own town ha ha:D, its so funny as he is going to die, for a good reason to, he killed so many innocent people, even his own. die die die