EXCLUSIVE: Local(St. Louis Area)Man Tells Of Helping Capture Saddam (yes that famous picture!)

KSDK News Website ^ | 7/23.04 | KSDK St, Louis News

[stlnative]

EXCLUSIVE: Local Man Tells Of Helping Capture Saddam

Created: 7/23/2004 7:50:02 PM

Updated: 7/23/2004 10:30:16 PM

St. Louis area man who helped troops capture Saddam.

It's a world famous photograph, showing a man wearing military camouflage holding Saddam Hussein down on the ground. What few people knew, until now, that man lives in the St. Louis area.

"I just told myself it can't be, no way," says 34 year old Samir. He's asked us not to use his last name, or identify exactly where he lives.

~experted~

[stlnative]

Picture from the TV - His picture is also at the link above.

[stlnative]

Saddam couldn't fight back, but he did speak out. "He called me a spy. He called me a traitor. I had to punch him in face. They had to hold me back. I got so angry I almost lost my mind. I didn't know what to do. Choke him to death. That's really not good enough."

[GSlob]

"I had to punch him in face."
Well, here is the explanation for rearranged Saddam's dental picture (some weeks ago there was a FR post quoting a news source bringing up the dentals and raising doubts about Saddam's identity).

[Southack]

"Now, many months later, Samir had another emotional moment in store. He would meet the leader of the free world, when President Bush attended a campaign rally in St. Charles. Samir says, "I told him I'm the one who had to talk to Saddam and the first one who grabbed him."

Samir says he spoke from the heart. "This is the message from Iraqis and my family. They want to thank you to free Iraqis from Saddam. And he said, 'You're welcome.'"

During their meeting, Mr. Bush received a photo from Samir, and special beads that Samir's parents gave him for protection. "It's like a blessing. It's important to me and I want you to have it. He tapped me on shoulder and said, 'Great work.'"

OK, that's pretty cool!

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[stlnative]

I thought you guys would like to see this... I don't have a ping list. I bet this is the guy that slugged Saddam when they pulled him out of the spider hole. He recently met President Bush.

[Shermy]

Brigette, great local news catch.


8 pics linked at "phot gallery" at end of article too.

[VaBthang4]

Good story.

[Shermy]

Check this story out.

[piasa]

That's pretty cool- a guy run out of Iraq 12 years ago because of the hellhole Saddam made it - ends up being the guy to yank the old POS out of his hole.

[stlnative]

~Bump~

There are some great never seen before pictures at the link above!

[stlnative]

Shermy... I have been waiting for it to come up on the local 10pm news. They have been showing highlights during the commercials all evening long. I decided to snap a picture of a freeze frame from the PVR (Tivo like thing). Finally after the 10pm news they got the story up on their website so I could post a link on FR. - I wasn't expecting all the great pictures to be on the website.

[Paradox]

Awesome! What a story! Put a tear or two in my eye..

[SeeRushToldU_So]

bttt

[unsycophant]

Now, many months later, Samir had another emotional moment in store. He would meet the leader of the free world, when President Bush attended a campaign rally in St. Charles. Samir says, "I told him I'm the one who had to talk to Saddam and the first one who grabbed him."

Samir says he spoke from the heart. "This is the message from Iraqis and my family. They want to thank you to free Iraqis from Saddam. And he said, 'You're welcome.'"

[Future Useless Eater]

what photos? I went to the website and there was only the
one picture, same as the one in post 7.

[Future Useless Eater]

never mind, I see now that post 6 explained how to find the
extra pictures.

[Future Useless Eater]

I wonder if each stack is one million dollars? (it says 12 million total)

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

I saw a slightly different shot of the same incredible incident. It was taken by the husband of a department manager at our local Walmart in Crosby, TX, who happened to have his camera. He probably took this photo, too. I was trying to get a copy of it :)

[Marie Antoinette]

Gotta see this one, hon

[solzhenitsyn]

Thanks, bridgette, wonderful story. I'm glad Samir is one of us now, and I'm thrilled that he got to punch Sadam in the face!