Saddam's briefcase leads to high-level captures

Saddam Hussein may not be talking freely to his American interrogators, but he has already provided information that led to the arrest of several top regime figures in Baghdad, a US general said today.

As the debate grew as to where and when the fallen Iraqi dictator should be put on trial, experts were poring over papers found in Saddam’s briefcase when he was captured in his ‘rat hole.’

Brigadier General Mark Hertling of the 1st Armored Division said in Baghdad that the first round of Saddam’s interrogation and documents in a briefcase found with him was “connecting the dots” in intelligence on the insurgency.

“It was reported as his personal briefcase,” Hertling said. “There were a lot of things that can be exploited.”

Since Saddam’s capture, soldiers from the 1st Armored Division have captured one high-ranking former regime figure – who has yet to be identified – and that prisoner has given up a few others, Hertling said. All the men are currently being interrogated and more raids are expected, Hertling said.

“We’ve already gleaned intelligence value from his capture,” Hertling said.

“We’ve already been able to capture a couple of key individuals here in Baghdad. We’ve completely confirmed one of the cells. It’s putting the pieces together and it’s connecting the dots. It has already helped us significantly in Baghdad.”

Hertling said of Saddam: “I’m sure he was giving some guidance to some key figures in this insurgency.”

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Saddam was not being overhelpful.

“He has not been co-operative in terms of talking or anything like that,” he said.

While the now clean shaven Saddam was being quizzed at a US base in Baghdad today, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council said he would be put on trial soon and executed on July 1 – the day after the US hands over control.

But others were not so sure and any trial is likely to be some time off as Iraq does not yet have an operational war crimes court.

President George Bush, during a White House press conference today, hinted that he would be happy for Saddam to face trial in Iraq.

“We will work with Iraqis to develop a way to try him that will withstand international scrutiny,” Bush said.

“There needs to be a public trial and all the atrocities need to come out and justice needs to be delivered,” he said.

He refused to a respond when asked if he wanted the death penalty.

Meanwhile suicide bombers attacked two police stations in the capital, killing eight people as the insurgency showed no sign of letting up.

President Bush had warned attacks would not stop even with Saddam in custody.

More details of Saddam’s capture were revealed today.

“My name is Saddam Hussein,” he said to US troops in English as they pulled him out of a dank hole on Saturday night where he had been hiding in the village of Adwar, near his home town of Tikrit.

“I am the president of Iraq and I want to negotiate.”

A Special Forces soldier replied: “Regards from President Bush,” according to Major Bryan Reed, operations officer for the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.

When asked today what his greeting would have been, Bush said: “Good riddance. The world is better off without you, Mr Saddam Hussein.”

The only food in the squalid farmhouse near to Saddam’s pit were hot dogs and Bounty bars.

US forces were told of the hiding place by a member of a family close to the dictator who was arrested in Baghdad on Friday and taken north to Tikrit the following day for interrogation, said Major General Raymond Odierno.

That person is in line for the £25m (€35.5m) offered for Saddam’s capture, dead or alive.

It was nearly dead. Colonel James Hickey, who led the raid, said his soldiers were seconds away from throwing a hand grenade into the hole when Saddam surrendered.

With Saddam’s capture, 13 figures remained at large from the US military’s list of 55 most-wanted regime officials. The highest ranking is Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a close Saddam aide who American officials say may be directly organising resistance.

General Hertling said he hoped Saddam will eventually clear up allegations that he had chemical and biological weapons and a nuclear weapons programme.

“I certainly think some of that will come out,” Hertling said. “I think we’ll get some significant intelligence over the next couple of days.”

Saddam’s exact whereabouts were unclear but General Hertling said he was still in Iraq.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it hopes it will be allowed to visit Saddam to check on the conditions in which he is being held.

It declined to comment on whether the United States already has breached international law by publishing photos and video images of Saddam after his capture.

Saddam could be tried “in the next few weeks” and could be executed if convicted, said Mouwafak al-Rabii, a Shiite member of the Iraqi Governing Council.

“We will get sovereignty on the 30th of June, and I can tell you, he could be executed on the 1st of July.” said al-Rabii, a long-time human rights activist.