Saddam believed hiding in Iraq
Saddam Hussein is probably still in Iraq, but constantly on the run, a US general leading the hunt for the ousted dictator has said.
The wanted man is also thought not to be heading the anti-occupation resistance.
“I know he’s moving a lot, he’s not staying in one place,” said Major-General Raymond Odierno, who commands the US Army’s 4th Infantry Division from its Iraq headquarters in Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit, 180 km north of Baghdad.
ِِِِAsked whether Saddam was still in Iraq, he said: “As far as I know, yes,” but conceded there was no significant progress in the search for the former strongman.
“There’s no breaking developments on where he’s at and where we think he may be operating.”
Odierno also said he had no information to indicate that Saddam, who was ousted by US-led occupation forces in April, might be leading the continuing attacks against the occupation troops and Iraqi civilians.
“I have seen no indications that he is in any way controlling any of the insurgency operations,” Odierno told journalists at a former Saddam palace that is now part of the 4th ID’s Iraq headquarters.
“My guess is he has a plan to keep himself nice and warm and cosy, if he can, during the winter as the rest of the people are suffering.”
“But we’ll keep him running so he can’t be comfortable, make sure he doesn’t have enough kerosene, doesn’t have enough benzine, doesn’t have anything else to keep himself warm,” Odierno said.