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 : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: michael97123 who wrote (101948)	6/18/2003 12:43:13 PM
From: michael97123	Respond to of 281500

msnbc.com Saddam’s security chief captured ‘Ace of Diamonds’ was caught in operation by U.S. military, CIA BREAKING NEWS NBC NEWS AND NEWS SERVICES WASHINGTON, June 18 — U.S. forces have captured Saddam Hussein’s presidential secretary, U.S. sources told NBC News on Wednesday. Shown as the ace of diamonds in the deck of “most wanted” cards issued by the Pentagon, Abid Hamid Mahmud is the most senior former Saddam official captured so far. THE SOURCES described him as the No. 2 man in the Iraqi regime. As presidential secretary, Mahmud was responsible for Saddam’s personal security and would be the person most likely to know about Saddam’s whereabouts or his fate. He is being interrogated, the sources told NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski, but it was unclear whether he’s provided any valuable information or actionable intelligence. Mahmud was also in charge of all Iraqi defense and intelligence issues. The sources said he would know more about every aspect of the Iraqi regime than any other Iraqi official except Saddam — including the whereabouts or status of any weapons of mass destruction. Mahmud was captured in a raid sometime Tuesday, in a joint U.S. military-CIA operation. Prior to the war, Mahmud was usually seen with Saddam when the latter appeared on Iraqi newscasts. Senior U.S. intelligence officials had described him as one of only four members of Saddam’s inner circle — the others being Saddam, his son Qusai and Izzat Ibrahim, the vice chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council. Saddam and his two sons are the other three “aces” on the most-wanted list. AIR FORCE CAPTURE His capture follows that last Saturday of former Iraqi air force commander Hamid Raja Shalah al-Tikriti, who was No. 17 on the most-wanted list. A brief U.S. military statement gave no other details about the arrest. Shalah is from Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit and was close to Saddam’s family. He was one of the Iraqi military commanders seen meeting regularly with Saddam before the U.S.-led war started March 20. The pilot and three-star general was appointed commander-in-chief of the Iraqi air force during the mid-1990s. He also commanded air bases during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, including in the northern city of Kirkuk. Before the U.S.-led war started, Shalah advised Saddam that the Iraqi air force would be fully prepared to fight and defeat invading coalition forces. But the Iraqi air force played no role during the war and its airplanes — which were technologically inferior to the American and British warplanes — were later found hidden in farms and fields under canopies and palm leaves and in barns. It was believed they were concealed because Iraqi military chiefs realized their planes would be no match for coalition warplanes, and the decision was made to protect them for possible use later. Since the coalition defeated Iraqi forces, many of the aircraft since have been looted or fallen into disrepair. MORE THAN HALF CAUGHT The U.S.-led coalition has detained more than half of its 55 most-wanted Iraqi leaders, including high-level military leaders, senior members of Saddam’s Baath Party and top scientists who were reported to have worked in Iraq’s alleged chemical, biological, nuclear and missile programs. Many on the list are believed to have gone into hiding; some may have fled the country. The highest-priority target, American officials have said, is Saddam himself, who some U.S. intelligence officials believe survived the war and is hiding in Iraq. NBC News producer Robert Windrem as well as The Associated Press contributed to this report.