American forces shave the beard of Saddam Hussein
The American forces yesterday displayed a video tape depicting the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein after his capture near his birthplace in Tikrit. A matter which put an end to a search campaign that had lasted more than 8 months.
Saddam Hussein seemed bearded in the tape, which was screened in a press conference in Baghdad held by the American administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer. The tape showed Saddam undergoing a medical check, without any resistance, and another shot seemed to be taken later after his beard was shaved.
Commander of the American (US) forces in Iraq Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez commented on the video tape, giving details on Hussein's detention, who was on the top list of the 55 wanted former Iraqi leaders wanted by the American forces.
Sanchez said that Saddam did not show any resistance, rather "was cooperating and speaking easily upon his capturing." Sanchez explained that members of the fourth armored contingent, backed by special forces, carried out the operation in a farm near Tikrit. He added that machine-guns and a large sum of money were confiscated, and Saddam Hussein's bodyguards were also arrested.
He indicated that the toppled Iraqi president is currently being held in a safe place, but the commander of the American forces ruled out suspension of the Iraqi resistance attacks after the detention of Saddam.
Bremer explained that the capture operation was made on Saturday evening, at a location which is 15 Km to the south of Tikrit, where Saddam was found hidden in a small underground hiding hole. Bremer called on supporters of the former regime to drop their weapons and surrender.
For his part, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress Ahmed Chalabi said that Saddam Hussein will face a special trial for his crimes.
Immediately, after news of Saddam Hussein's detention, Iraqi citizens opened gun fire in the air, a traditional form of celebrating, and got into the streets in certain cities in Iraq, celebrating the news.
Reaction to Saddam Hussein's capturing varied. The French President Jacque Chirac expressed his happiness and satisfaction over this, and the spokeswoman for Chirac said that Saddam Hussein's detention is a great step that would contribute greatly to establishing democracy and stability in Iraq, and facilitate authority transfer to the Iraqis.
The US President George W. Bush received congratulations from the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder following the confirmation of news on Saddam Hussein's detention.
NATO's secretary general George Robertson expressed his satisfaction over Saddam's detention, stressing that this will contribute to restoring stability to Iraq.
Kuwait, which suffered an invasion at the hands of Saddam Hussein, also immediately welcomed news of the arrest of the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein.
