US officials believe bombs may have killed Saddam, sons: report

Agence France-Presse | April 8, 2003

[HAL9000]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US officials believe that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his two sons may have been killed in an airstrike Monday on Baghdad, according to the news channel MSNBC.

US administration officials told the channel that reliable intelligence information from a source on the ground had provided details on the location of a meeting of top Iraqi leaders.

Saddam and his two sons were among those at the meeting, prompting US officials to order the building bombed, MSNBC said.

Defense officials could not confirm the report.

"There was an emerging leadership target bombed during the day," the officials said, without identifying the bombs used.

"We have been doing that throughout the war, going after any kind of leadership target, whether regime or military leadership," the official said.

[HAL9000]

Earlier today - Posted on 04/07/2003 12:45 PM EDT -

Missile slams into central Baghdad neighborhood: AFP reporter

[fhayek]

Here we go, another night with only three hours of sleep...

[Texas Eagle]

So. Will Jim McDermott and David Bonior be able to get time off to attend the funeral?

Or are "soul-mates" not considered "immediate family" under The Family Medical Leave Act?

[patriciaruth]

Here we go, another night with only three hours of sleep...

I vote we pop the champagne, get drunk and pass out early tonight.

[katze]

Can't help being suspicious. Why would he risk being out in daylight, with so many US troops in Baghdad? If he was in the AlMansour district, it is not far from one of the palaces occupied. I hope they got him (them), but.......

[fhayek]

FNC reports that meeting was supposed to be sort a last gathering as leaders were making plans to get flee. Apparently, someone who was supposed to be there sold them out.

[fhayek]

I only drink on very rare occasions. This may be one.

[patriciaruth]

Me, too. I'll have to take several Pepcid with a small glass of the bubbly, but I just may do it if hubby votes to join me.

[thoughtomator]

Another set of doubles bites the dust?

[katze]

Maybe, but some military adviser told if his sons were there, he would be, too; the sons are not present when a double is.

[patriciaruth]

And meanwhile the real ones slip out the back door into a waiting French diplomatic limosine?

I sure hope not.

[patriciaruth]

ping.

I think everyone else is watching the NCAA game.

[ChemistCat]

There's something else to do besides FREEP??????

[MeekMom]

We can always hope and pray we killed EVIL INCARNATE today, but until I see the body and DNA, I will not be persuaded.

[BenLurkin]

Saddam is toast. Our best people are on the ground lookin' for him:

[fhayek]

FNC reports that Saddam and sons had some sort of cell phone technology that he had bought from the British during the Iran-Iraq war which had a voice-encryption system that was 'unbreakable'. However , in the meantime, technology has advanced, and the British have shared the decoding technology with the U.S. According to some sources, we have been able to track the real Saddam throughout this war. (This from Rita Cosby).

[katze]

That could be exactly what could happen, sorta like a shell game.

[whadizit]

I bet he is still alive and well and laughing. At the same time, he is cutting someone's tongue out.

[katze]

He is ruthless, and he is smart. How else could he have survived all these years? I hope we're wrong; I'd like to think of him as a Baghdad Burger on Toast.

[expatpat]

MSNBC had it at least 20 minutes before FNC, thanks to Andrea Mitchell, apparently.