ABCNEWS: Tikriti id's bodies as the Hussein brothers...bodies are relatively intact

ABCNEWS.com ^ | 7/22/03 | ABC

[BigMacGOP]

U.S. officials are reasonably confident that two of the four Iraqis killed in a raid in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul were Saddam Hussein's two sons, Odai and Qusai Hussein, ABCNEWS has learned.

Hours after a massive raid on a villa in Mosul, U.S. intelligence sources said they believed Saddam's two sons were inside the building. "We think we killed both of these guys," a senior intelligence official told ABCNEWS.

While there was no official confirmation that Odai and Qusai Hussein were among the dead, ABCNEWS has learned that a senior former Iraqi official in U.S. custody had identified the bodies.

A senior military official told ABCNEWS that Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, Saddam's most trusted adviser and the ace of diamonds in the U.S. deck of cards depicting the most-wanted Iraqis, had identified the bodies.

Local witnesses also said the bodies appeared to be those of Odai and Qusai, but there has been no public announcement about the identities of the victims. There are some concerns that they could be the bodies of look-alikes. Saddam's sons were known to employ body doubles.

U.S. officials believe a teenage boy, possibly Qusai's son, and a bodyguard were also among the dead.

The report came hours after members of the 101st Airborne Division stormed the villa in the northern Iraqi city, engaging in a pitched four-hour battle with machine guns and rockets before blasting the villa. Members of Task Force 20, a secret special forces team charged with hunting down the former Iraqi leader and his sons, also participated in the raid, officials told ABCNEWS.

There was no word of any U.S. casualties during the raid although witnesses told news services that U.S. troops were injured in the attack.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has briefed President Bush personally about the assault.

Sons Were Very Powerful in Regime

Saddam's two sons held important positions in the Baathist regime before the Iraqi leader was ousted from power earlier this year.

Before the war, Qusai, Saddam's younger son, served as the head of the all-powerful Special Security Organization, an extensive network of intelligence, security and paramilitary wings that once permeated all levels of Iraqi society.

His eldest son, Odai, was the ace of hearts in the U.S. deck of cards depicting the most-wanted Iraqis. His list of alleged crimes included rape, torture, intimidation and murder.

[Semper Paratus]

So 3 out of the 4 'aces' in the deck are accounted for.

[LizardQueen]

"Ding Dong, the witches kids are dead"!

LQ

[Coop]

Looks like Dubya's holding three aces now.

[RonF]

Tikriti may lie. The Ace of Diamonds may lie. DNA don't lie. I can wait. Bad news you should hear right away. Good news can wait.

[Physicist]

bodies are relatively intact

"Relative" to what? Steak tartare?

[ReaganWarrior]

Well, good news. This should equalize or better the negative publicity of the past two weeks. Saddam in mourning.

[Tai_Chung]

His list of alleged crimes included rape, torture, intimidation and murder.

[Shermy]

Question: how will the bodies be disposed?

[Frank_Discussion]

PULL!

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Welcome to Hell boys................

[PoisedWoman]

Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, Saddam's most trusted adviser and the ace of diamonds in the U.S. deck of cards depicting the most-wanted Iraqis, had identified the bodies.

Agree with your post. Why wouldn't Tikriti lie? He'd be delighted to turn attention away from the real Saddammits. Declare them dead so they can get on with their dirty work.

[WestPacSailor]

I say stake 'em out in the sun and let the bugs and the buzzards at 'em.

[Indianer]

Had we only tried diplomacy. I am sure both sons would have been model citizens had we tried to do something civilized, like, say, transfer them to differeent parishes.

[cmsgop]

Fingers Crossed!

[alancarp]

Drag them back to Baghdad. Then mount the remains on the old Saddam statue pedestal.

[fooman]

If Tikriti lied he would be found out with DNA and forensics. --And there might be hell to pay!

[Pharmboy]

Odai'nt Qusay...

[tomahawk]

Tom Daschle: "I am deeply saddened [by this development]".

[onyx]

Another awful day for the democrats. (=^,,^=)