Bodies are Saddam’s sons
The US military said that ‘extensive tests’ showed they had killed the two sons of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in a raid in Northern Iraq.
The Commander of Coalition Joint Task Force Seven, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, announced that the bodies of Uday and Qusay Hussein had been found following a firefight around a house in the city of Mosul, North Iraq.
Iraqis held in custody by the Americans confirmed that the bodies were those of Uday and Qusay Hussein. Medical and dental records were also used to confirm the identity of the two bodies.
Lt. Gen. Sanchez commented, “We have no doubt that we have the bodies of Uday and Qusay.”
The American Commander also revealed at a press conference in Baghdad that the man rated at number 11 on the most wanted list had been arrested. The man is believed to be a Commander in Saddam Hussein’s Special Republican Guard.
Two hundred soldiers backed by helicopters stormed the building following a tip-off that the men were in the house. A four-hour battle took place around the house of a local tribal leader, culminating in the destruction of the building and the deaths of the four men inside.
Lt. Gen. Sanchez explained, “They resisted the detention and the efforts of the coalition forces to go in there and apprehend them, and they were killed in the ensuing gunfight and the attacks that we conducted on the residence.”
When welcoming the news, White House Press Secretary, Scott McClellan stated, “We were pleased to learn from the Department of Defence of today’s action against Uday and Qusay Hussein. Over the period of many years, these two individuals were responsible for countless atrocities committed against the Iraqi people and they can no longer cast a shadow of hate on Iraq.”
“U.S. military forces and our intelligence community, working with an Iraqi citizen, deserve credit for today’s successful action. While there is still much work to do in Iraq, the Iraqi people can see progress each day toward a better and more prosperous future for their country.”
Uday and Qusay Hussein were considered to be among the most feared and influential men in their father’s regime. They were number two and three on America’s 55 most wanted list that appeared as a deck of playing cards.
Qusay Hussein, 37, was the heir to Saddam’s regime and was in control of the security forces in the country. Uday Hussein, 39, controlled the Iraqi state media.
