US forced grab fourth most wanted

American forces have taken into custody Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein’s presidential secretary and number four on the US most-wanted list of Iraq leaders, a US official said today.

The official said Mahmud was captured in Iraq but had no further details.

Third in power only to Saddam and his younger son, Qusay, Mahmud controlled access to the deposed president and was one of the few people Saddam is said to have trusted completely, the official said.

Mahmud may have information on the fate of Saddam and his sons, and he is thought to have details of Iraq’s alleged weapons programmes.

US officials have said they want to try Mahmud for war crimes or crimes against humanity for activities associated with his senior position in the Iraqi regime.