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WASHINGTON -- A secret Syrian and Iraqi smuggling network that made billions of dollars busting U.N. sanctions during Saddam Hussein's regime is now involved in organizing and financing violent anti-U.S. guerrillas in Iraq, The Post has learned. According to U.S. intelligence officials and Syrian exiles, the network, once involved in oil and arms smuggling as well as scamming the U.N. oil-for-food program before the war, has morphed into an increasingly organized command and control structure to coordinate much of the terrorist campaign in Iraq. The officials said the shadowy structure, with bases of operation in Syria, is made up of...

U.S. Troops Arrest Relative of Al-DouriBy CHRIS BRUMMITTASSOCIATED PRESS TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - U.S. troops arrested a relative of Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, and believe he may help in the hunt for the most senior former regime figure still at large, a U.S. officer said Wednesday. The man, who was not identified, was arrested late Tuesday in a raid in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, said Lt. Col. Steven Russell, who led the operation. Russell described the suspect as a "close relative" of al-Douri, who was the vice chairman of the Baath Party's Revolutionary Command Council and a longtime confidant of Saddam....

US forces capture wife of wanted former top Iraqi leader Wed Nov 26, 6:19 AM ET TIKRIT, Iraq (AFP) - US forces have captured a wife and daughter of Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, former number two to Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and who US officials believe has been masterminding anti-coalition attacks. AFP/File Photo The two, as well as the son of Duri's physician, were captured Tuesday in Samarra, north of Baghdad, said Colonel Bill MacDonald, spokesman for the US 4th Infantry Division. "Task Force Ironhorse soldiers received information indicating that the wife and supporters of Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri were...

I just saw something on MSNBC that Saddam Hussein's top deputy may have been captured or killed. Here's an older article about the search for him: ============ US launches massive search in northern Iraq for Saddam's deputy KIRKUK, Iraq (AFP) - The US military launched a massive search operation around Iraq (news - web sites)'s northern oil centre overnight in its intensifying hunt for Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s deputy, Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, a senior police official said. "It's the biggest search operation ever launched around here," the official in Kirkuk told AFP, asking not be identified. "They're searching...