Irish parents’ pride at son’s leading role

THE Irish-American parents of the soldier who led the capture of Saddam Hussein spoke yesterday of their pride in their son.

Colonel James B Hickey is in charge of the 4th Infantry Division which swooped on the former Iraqi leader on Sunday.

His father Jim, 73, from Co Clare, emigrated to Chicago from Ireland aged 18.

Speaking of the moment he found out about Saddam's capture, he said he soon realised that his son must have been leading the operation.

"We knew he was taken into custody by a section of the 4th Infantry Division and that was the part of the division my son Jim the Colonel was in charge of, so I had an idea he was the leader of those troops that took care of the arrests."

Mr Hickey described his son as "a very determined young man."

"He is very highly educated and very cool under pressure and a good leader," he added.

Col Hickey's mother Anne-Marie, from Co Mayo, also recalled the moment another son, who lives nearby, had called in the early hours of the morning to tell the family of Saddam's capture.

"At that moment I was a bit nervous because I didn't know what predicament my other son (James) was in.

"As the morning went on I was bombarded with calls from his aunt and cousins in Co Clare and from my sister in England."

Mrs Hickey said she often spoke to James on the phone but had last seen him in October 2002.

"He arrived in Tikrit on Easter Sunday," she said.

"I knew he was there in pursuit of Saddam."

She added that she was relieved the capture had not sparked any violence.

"I am happy things ended up the way they did and there was nobody killed and it was a peaceful capture," she said.

"I am thankful for that."