* After he was nabbed, Saddam was whisked away to be interrogated by American intelligence officers, who will be asking about weapons of mass destruction and ties he may have to al Qaeda. * Large numbers of Iraqis reacted with joy – some firing weapons into the air in celebration – and they mocked the hated dictator for giving in without a fight like a coward.
* Praise for the capture of Saddam came from leaders around the world, including close allies like British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as those who opposed the American-led invasion, like French President Jacques Chirac. * Democratic presidential candidates who have relentlessly attacked Bush over his handling of the war were quick to adjust to the news by softening their comments, at least for a day. * Officials braced for possible retaliation from Iraqi resistance forces, but said they believe Saddam’s arrest will weaken the insurgents in the long run. yesterday the dictator’s identity had been confirmed. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice told the president at 5:15 a.m. Saturday, from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. * Bush first learned troops had captured a man they believed was Saddam at 3:15 p.m. * Images of an unkempt Saddam being examined by a military doctor were shown around the world.
Free republic photos of saddam hussein capture trial#
* Members of the Iraqi Governing Council said they expect Saddam to stand trial for war crimes in Iraq and he could face the death penalty. administrator Paul Bremer declared: “Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!” The news was broken in Baghdad, where a beaming U.S. In the history of Iraq, a dark and painful era is over. “It marks the end of the road for him and for all who bullied and killed in his name. “Now the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions,” said Bush in a brief speech from the White House. troops swooped down on a rural compound in the village of Adwar, 10 miles southeast of Tikrit, Saddam’s home town. The brutal deposed dictator was nabbed without a shot fired at about 8:30 p.m. The news, nearly nine months after the start of the war, gave a huge boost to President Bush, sparked jubilation in Baghdad and around the country, and marked a dramatic turning point in Iraq. American soldiers captured a bearded and haggard Saddam Hussein, pouncing on the once-feared Iraqi dictator while he hid in a cramped underground tunnel “like a rat” in a hole, officials said yesterday.
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