The Hindu : Saddam on Baghdad streets

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 05, 2003

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Saddam on Baghdad streets

An image from Iraqi television showing the President, Saddam Hussein, visiting a residential area of Baghdad on Friday. The clipping was shown on a day when the U.S. troops said they had taken control of Saddam International Airport.

Baghdad April 4. Iraqi television showed footage of what it said was President, Saddam Hussein, visiting residential areas of Baghdad today.

Dressed in military uniform, Mr. Hussein was mobbed by cheering, chanting Iraqis. Some of them kissed him on his cheeks and hands and he held up a small child. The television said he visited buildings bombed by U.S. warplanes.

There was no way of verifying when the film was made. Mr. Hussein has a number of doubles. The clip was shown on a day when the U.S. troops said they had taken control of the Saddam International Airport, just 20 km southwest of the capital.

Saddam Hussein appeared in olive green military garb on the main square of the al-Mansour residential neighbourhood of Baghdad, flanked by a few bodyguards, but packing a firearm in a holster.

The footage, which showed a scene in daylight, was broadcast at about 1730 GMT (11a.m. IST)

Smiling broadly, the Iraqi strongman accepted the kisses of his hand from the jubilant crowd, which chanted " With our blood and our souls, we shall redeem you" and "Bush, Bush, listen well, we all love Saddam Hussein.''

Hit them with force

Earlier in the day, Mr. Hussein mentioned the shooting down of a U.S. Apache helicopter by an Iraqi farmer in late March, indicating that he survived the first days of the war.

"The enemy is overtaking our valiant defences around Baghdad just like it did around other cities and they (enemy) are avoiding clashes...," Mr. Hussein said in his address.

"They are deploying here and there, just like we expected, and these deployments are normally thin and we can confront them with the weapons available, and you recall the Iraqi peasant that downed an Apache with his rifle."

The Iraqi Information Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, announced on March 24 that Iraqi farmers had shot down two Apaches.

U.S. defence officials confirmed that an Apache Longbow was downed in Iraq, but had no comment on claims that a second helicopter was shot down.

Mr. Saddam Hussein's address came as U.S. forces took control of Baghdad international airport 20 km from the Iraqi capital.

He urged the people of Baghdad to ``strike the enemy with force'' and predicted victory over the invading U.S. and British troops.

``Hit them with force, resist them, oh people of Baghdad whenever they advance upon your city and remain true to your principles, your faith and your honour,'' said Mr. Hussein.

It was not clear when the statement was filmed. — Reuters, AFP

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