Saddam fled Baghdad villa minutes before US strike: ex-official [View All]

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/fri/nov7w19.htm

AMMAN (AFP) - Saddam Hussein fled from a villa in Baghdad's Al-Mansur neighbourhood where he was set to meet four close aides on April 7, only 15 minutes before it was bombed by US forces, according to a former Iraqi government official.
Saddam was due to meet with his number two Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan, defence minister Sultan Hashem and intelligence chief Tahir Jalil al-Habbush al-Takriti, the former official told AFP.

The source, who was speaking from a location outside Iraq and outside Jordan, said that Saddam fled because he feared he had been betrayed by his intelligence chief.

The Iraqi leader, who was ousted by US forces on April 9 but is still at large, had been holding regular meetings with his four cronies since March 19 in different secret locations.

On April 7 they were due to gather at the Al-Mansur villa near Al-Sa'ah (The Hour) restaurant which was owned by the Iraqi intelligence services, he said on condition of anonymity.

The meeting was organised by "Saddam's nephews", he said.

"Saddam had been using them as messengers for the past few months and they would deliver his messages to his close aides in person," he said.
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Let the spin begin in overdrive...
Hmmm. Speaking from a location outside Iraq AND outside Jordan???