IRAQ: Hussein confidant became informant

MSNBC ^ | Updated: 7:20 a.m. ET Dec. 16, 2003 | Alan Sipress - Washington Post

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

TIKRIT, Iraq - After raiding two farmhouses, the soldiers had found no sign of Saddam Hussein. Under a moonless sky on Saturday night, they began combing the palm groves and orange orchards, then moved on to the open, furrowed fields.
 
Once again, it was beginning to look as if Iraq´s most wanted man had eluded them.

An informant, a confidant of Hussein whom they had brought along on the operation, had led them to that farm on the Tigris River. Now he pointed them to the very spot where Hussein was hiding in an underground chamber, according to soldiers involved in his capture. Moments later, Iraq´s fugitive former president was in U.S. custody.

The informant was a senior officer in Hussein´s elite Special Security Organization, according to the U.S. commander who led the operation. When U.S. Special Forces troops seized him Friday during a raid in Baghdad, they had not immediately realized that they held someone with precious information about Hussein´s whereabouts.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More detail on the capture of Saddam.

[hoosiermama]

More details on how they captured Saddam.

[Grampa Dave]

The great news is that Saddam's rats are squealing on each other and eating each other up for their survival.

We can hope that this becomes epidemic and spread out past the borders of Iraq.

[G L Tirebiter]

Time to write the man a check for $25MM.

[r9etb]

I hope those are sausages hanging from the tree....

[Always Right]

Time to write the man a check for $25MM.

That's what I was wondering. Maybe they wanted to keep this on the down low this time not to endanger the guy. Of course if this guy is high ranking Iraqi, he may just get off the hook from a lynching and not get the reward.

[q_an_a]

it has been said that this man was taken into custody and was helpful in questioning. that is a long way from turning in Sadaam and getting a reward. this time we save the 25 million.

[r9etb]

Sounds to me like "the informant" is a lot more useful to us than Saddam.....

And, now that he's ratted Saddam out, his only chance of staying alive is to keep telling us stuff.

[RightWhale]

The informant was a senior officer in Hussein´s elite Special Security Organization

Did the informant act ethically? Evaluate according to any of the common ethical theories of the past 200 years, including Utilitarianism.

[Eagle Eye]

I have a hunch that some of the rats jumped ship and fled to Syria Sunday morning.

[Cap Huff]

"Now he pointed them to the very spot where Hussein was hiding in an underground chamber . . . "

The guy had been there before no doubt. Probably for meetings with Saddam. The other day when we thought al-Douri was nabbed, some guy was picked up that was described something like as an intermediary. I think we're getting the evidence that Saddam indeed was involved directly in the resistance.

[drjimmy]

Time to write the man a check for $25MM.

Then deposit the funds in the First National Bank of Tikrit. If he even dares try to cash the check, Saddam loyalists will take care of him.

[mercy]

So, Does he get the $25mil or does the fact that he is going to hang alonside Saddam sort of cancel that out?

Actually it is probably pretty important that we pay these bribes promptly and in full. Word gets around. $25mm is cheap when you consider how many lives it saves.

[Dog]

Guys I know who this guy is...The informant was a senior officer in Hussein´s elite Special Security Organization

Let me look up a name...

[Dog]

I know who this guy was....

[mercy]

I believe it is an established precedent that following unlawful orders is a crime in and of itself. Protecting an international criminal is not a lawful act. The ethics of turning in Hussein are impeccable.

[Swanks]

I hope those are sausages hanging from the tree....

Most likely Iranians.

[Dog]

Here is who I think lead us to Saddam...

Hani Abd Latif Tilfa al Tikriti..... SSO Director

[Company Man]

Time to write the man a check for $25MM.

Not when he only spilled after interrogation.