Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (43978)	4/7/2003 2:13:22 AM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

‘Saddam fled from Baghdad three days ago’ (Updated at 0730 PST) LONDON: A former chief of protocol of Saddam Hussain, Haitham Rashid Wihaib, claimed that the Iraqi President fled from the capital three day ago, that is around April 2. As American forces tightened their grip on Baghdad, senior US officials, according to reports here, said that intelligence on Saddam Hussain's whereabouts had "dried up". But they also say that in all probability he is alive and possibly hiding in a network of tunnels believed to stretch over a 50 mile area in and around Baghdad. He also says no central command is left now for providing direction to the forces. This is also the view of military analysts HT talked with. "I spent nearly 20 years working for Saddam, latterly seeing him daily while running his private office and daily appointment diary," Wihaib claims in a write-up in a daily. "I also got to know his doubles. And the Saddam Hussain we saw shaking hands of his subjects in that extraordinary walkabout on Friday, was definitely a doopelganger." He says that the stunt, of walking on the streets, was ordered by Saddam's son Qusay to convince the Allies that his father was still in Baghdad and a last ditch attempt to show the Iraqi people their "leader was brave and prepared to fight from the capital". Wihaib alleges that Saddam in reality is not brave. "He is mad and desperate and is readying himself for exile." The former protocol chief claims to know that once Saddam learnt Americans were closing on Baghdad, "he fled to his home town of Tikrit." This could be the reason for the two divisions of Republican Guards being stationed there, as told to HT by Col Christopher Langton of the Institute of International Strategic Studies, a few days ago. Wihaib claims that Saddam left in a series of anonymous taxis and battered pick up trucks in a convoy which would have looked like any other group of fleeing Iraqis. Last year Saddam' aides allegedly rented 500 houses in Tikrit. He used to move from property to property, hardly spending more than a few hours at each place. Wihaib says, "Saddam has taken his two murderous son and a handful of key advisors still loyal to him. In Baghdad each local commander has been told to act as he sees fit." The prediction by Wihaib is that "probably by next weekend he will either be dead or captured or will have fled his ravaged country." He has already moved his vast wealth to Geneva and other sympathetic West Asian countries. He also confirms the earlier reports that Saddam's first wife, Sajida and their three daughters and grandchildren are already staying with the Iraqi ambassador in Syria. His latest wife Iman, 27, Wihaib, says has been sent to Jordan last week. But, warns Wihaib that Saddam would be captured only in a surprise attack. He has instructed his bodyguards to shoot him if the enemy is about to capture him.