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| Iraq | ||
| U.S. Troops Capture Saddam Bodyguard | ||
| 2003-07-29 | ||
| EFL American soldiers overpowered and arrested a bodyguard who rarely left Saddam Hussein’s side Tuesday and said they obtained documents and information that could help them close in on the former dictator. As "one of Saddam’s lifelong bodyguards," Adnan Abdullah Abid al-Musslit was believed to have detailed knowledge of the former president’s hiding places, said Lt. Col. Steve Russell, who led the raid. He said documents taken from the home and information obtained from the men would be useful in the hunt for Saddam. "Every guy we get tightens the noose," said Russell, commander of the 4th Infantry Division’s 22nd Infantry Regiment.
"steely knives"? Somebody has been listening to Hotel California way too many times. But the series of pre-dawn raids in the heart of the deposed dictator’s hometown nabbed a total of 12 people, including Daher Ziana, the former head of security in Tikrit, and Rafa Idham Ibrahim al-Hassan, a leader of the Saddam Fedayeen militia. The raids began at 4 a.m. when soldiers fired three shotgun blasts into the locks of the house where bodyguard al-Musslit was living with his family. Moments later, an Associated Press reporter watched as soldiers pulled al-Musslit from the house, bleeding and barefoot. Soldiers stripped him to his underwear, searching for weapons, and dragged him into an Army Humvee. Gonna have to hose that sucker off. A medic examined the right side of his forehead, where blood seeped through the wide tan cloth that was wrapped over his eyes as a blindfold. Hope it’s painful. About a block away, soldiers stormed a house where Ziana was living, emerging from one the house’s ornate arched entrances with four men with their hands tied behind their back. One of the men was identified as Ziana, Saddam’s security chief in Tikrit. Six women, some clutching the hands of small children, wailed as soldiers threw photographs and documents into the driveway. A large portrait of Saddam lay alongside a picture of Ziana in uniform. One album featured a photo of women posing with Kalashnikov rifles. Ummm, naked chicks with guns. Among the documents was something called a "Saddam Privilege Card," Russell said. Stamped "expired". Nearby, soldiers pulled al-Hassan from another house, Russell said. Al-Hassan was believed to be a Brigadier General and a leader of the Fedayeen militia, which is suspected in the mounting attacks on U.S. troops. The men were taken to an Army detention facility in Tikrit where they will be interrogated, Russell said. | ||
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 "steely knives and oily guns" That would be a terrific name for a rock band. |
| Posted by: ColoradoConservative 2003-7-29 3:38:59 PM |
| #3 intersting WaPo article this morning on Falujah. 3rd ID is taking it easy on the locals, letting them do local guard duty and reducing US profile, refraining from searching women and clerics ("but if we get shot at by a woman or cleric all bets are off") and doing more gentle searches of houses ("but if we get shot at during a house search all bets are off") Also making formal apologies and playing blood money to families of collateral damage victims. Seems to be working - falujah has quickly become much quieter and more cooperative. Could be model for elsewhere. Combined with vigorous searches for weapons and leaders, closing on Saddam, we may groping toward a winning strategy. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-7-29 11:19:21 AM |
| #2 Instapundit notes that the "steely knives and oily guns" comment probably indicates severe sarcasm to be used on a clueless reporter after one-too-many stupid questions. Nice to see the idiot didn't recognize it and wrote it in verbatim. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-7-29 10:18:38 AM |
| #1 Sweeeeet. 4:00am raids in the ritzy part of town. Shooting off hinges. Steely knives and oily guns. Bodyguards who resist arrest. Fedayeen leaders. Wymyns wailing and moaning and clutching little jihadis. Bitches with guns. This story has got it all. Job Bob sez 5 Stars. Blood, bodyguard kung-fu, no heads roll, no breasts, just genuine kickass professionalism - if you exclude the AP dipshit, of course. Ha! |
| Posted by: PD 2003-7-29 9:38:26 AM |