Ex-Saddam aide leading attacks, says US official

A man close to Saddam Hussein is believed to be helping co-ordinate attacks on American forces with members of an al-Qaida-linked terrorist group, a senior US defence official said.

Two captured members of Ansar al-Islam have said Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, whose daughter is the widow of Saddam’s son Uday, is helping to co-ordinate their attacks, the official said.