The Hindu : Saddam is alive, claims Aziz

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003

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Saddam is alive, claims Aziz

WASHINGTON April 28. Iraq's former Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, has told American interrogators that Saddam Hussein survived two air strikes launched to kill him, USA Today reported today.

Mr. Aziz, who is being questioned at an undisclosed location, said he saw Mr. Hussein alive after the March 19 and April 7 air strikes on Baghdad targeting the former Iraqi leader and his two sons, the newspaper reported, quoting a senior American defence official. The official was also quoted as saying that interrogators had concluded that Mr. Aziz was lying about other matters that had come up during his interrogation.

The most recognisable of the 13 former Iraqi officials known to be in the Americans' custody, Mr. Aziz surrendered to U.S. forces on Thursday last. He was No. 43 on the U.S. list of 55 most-wanted members of Saddam Hussein's administration.

American officials have said the fate of the toppled Iraqi President remains unknown amid mixed reports about whether he was dead or alive. If he were alive, Mr. Hussein would mark his 66th birthday today.

The U.S. war commander, Tommy Franks, said on Sunday that Mr. Aziz was providing a lot of information to U.S. intelligence interrogators but did not elaborate. "What we don't know is the veracity of it. It will take time," Gen. Franks was quoted as saying. — Reuters

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