BAGHDAD, 8 December 2003 — Saddam Hussein is hiding out west of Baghdad from where he commands the operations against the US forces in Iraq, a tribal leader and follower of the ousted president told AFP. “Saddam Hussein is in good health,” said the man who is involved in the uprising and calls himself only Abu Mohammad.
An AFP journalist was introduced to the tribal leader by a Baath politician working to set up a new party to support the uprising.
The politician said Saddam presided over a meeting of “dozens of Baath party cadres” at Ramadi, 100 km (60 miles) west of Baghdad, at iftar during Ramadan.
A dissident Baath figure confirmed the secret meeting saying it took place on Nov. 8, the same day Gen. John Abizaid, commanding officer of US Central Command, gathered tribal leaders in Ramadi to try to work out how to halt anti-coalition attacks.
Abu Mohammad disclosed that he met Saddam who, he said, pays unannounced visits to Iraqis. “There is no risk to him in the west because people are defending him and will never betray him,” the tribal leader claimed. Washington has offered a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of the president who was overthrown in April.
US forces have concentrated their hunt for Saddam on Tikrit, the ex-president’s hometown and support base, and the Sunni belt north and west of the capital. They have also gone after Saddam’s No. 2 Izzat Ibrahim, offering a reward of $10 million.
But Abu Mohammad said Ibrahim was “very sick and has to have blood transfusions regularly.” Arabic newspapers have reported that Ibrahim has leukemia.
The tribal chief said Saddam believed “the war is continuing since there has been no surrender.”
“The operations are not centralized,” he explained. “Saddam Hussein gives instructions and those who must carry them out find the means to do so.” Abu Mohammad admitted that the guerrilla campaign was still being waged at a low level with rockets and shells but “no sophisticated weapons.”
