BREAKING NEWS NBC News and news services Updated: 7:56 a.m. ET Dec. 14, 2003BAGHDAD, Iraq - Eight months after the fall of his government, Saddam Hussein has been captured by coalition forces in Iraq, the United States confirmed on Sunday. The arrest was a major victory for the coalition that has been battling an insurgency for months.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we got him," L. Paul Bremer, the head of the U.S. administration in Iraq told a news conference.
Bremer described the arrest as a great day for Iraq. "The tyrant is a prisoner."
Earlier, the Iraqi Governing Council and British Prime Minister Tony Blair reported Saddam's capture.
The Governing Council said Saddam was captured in a joint operation by troops from the U.S.-led coalition and Kurdish Iraqi forces.
"He was wearing a fake beard and laboratory tests have proven his identity beyond any doubt," said the statement. Reuters file Saddam Hussein stands on a car in northern Baghdad on April 9 in the last available footage taken of the Iraqi dictator before he went underground following the fall of his capital to U.S.-led coalition forces on the same day. ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------
U.S. officials said only that the U.S. military captured a man in the basement of a building in Tikrit during raids seeking Saddam and that initial efforts to verify his identity indicate he is the deposed Iraqi dictator.
It certainly looks good," one senior U.S. official said, cautioning more scientific testing, possibly DNA, was being done early Sunday morning to try to confirm the identity.
Separately, a U.S. official told NBC News that millions of dollars was found in possession of Saddam and his entourage when he was captured.
Capture A U.S. official told the Associated Press that the captured man did not look like Saddam.
Trapped in a cellar, Saddam dug a hole and buried himself as U.S. soldiers moved into the house where he was hiding, an Iraqi official said Sunday.
"The American soldiers had to use shovels to dig him out," Entifadh Qanbar, spokesman for Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi, told The Associated Press.
Qanbar, basing his account on reports from members of the U.S.-led occupation authority, said Saddam had a salt-and-pepper beard when he was captured. Soldiers photographed him, shaved the beard and photographed him again before running DNA tests, he said.
"The DNA test confirmed 100 percent Saddam Hussein's identity," he said.
Qanbar said the capture took place "in a town very close to Tikrit," Saddam's hometown 100 miles north of Baghdad.
Council member Dara Noor al-Din said the body was informed of the former dictator's capture in a telephone call from Bremer. "Bremer has confirmed to the Governing Council that Saddam was captured in Tikrit," Noor al-Din said. "He spoke on the phone to several members, including Ahmad Chalabi."
British welcome British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed Saddam's capture. "This is very good news for the people of Iraq. It removes the shadow that has been hanging over them for too long of the
nightmare of a return to the Saddam regime," he said in a statement released by his office.
"This fear is now removed," the statement continued. "It also gives an opportunity for Saddam to be tried in Iraqi courts for his crimes against the Iraqi people. We should try now to unite the whole of Iraq in rebuilding the country and offering it a new future."
Blair added, "I pay tribute to the work of the coalition intelligence and military forces in capturing him."
The prime minister faced substantial domestic opposition for his decision to commit British troops to the Iraq war and is sure to get a major political boost from the reported capture.
Rumors in Kirkuk Earlier in the day, rumors of the capture sent people streaming into the streets of Kirkuk, a northern Iraqi city, firing guns in the air in celebration.
"We are celebrating like it's a wedding," said Kirkuk resident Mustapha Sheriff. "We are finally rid of that criminal."
"This is the joy of a lifetime," said Ali Al-Bashiri, another resident. "I am speaking on behalf of all the people that suffered under his rule."
NBC News correspondents, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
~Fragi~
Age: 43
8168 days old here
Total Posts: 64603
Points: 0
Location:
Neutral Zone,
Trapped in a cellar, Saddam dug a hole and buried himself as U.S. soldiers moved into the house where he was hiding, an Iraqi official said Sunday.
"The American soldiers had to use shovels to dig him out," Entifadh Qanbar, spokesman for Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi, told The Associated Press.
Qanbar, basing his account on reports from members of the U.S.-led occupation authority, said Saddam had a salt-and-pepper beard when he was captured. Soldiers photographed him, shaved the beard and photographed him again before running DNA tests, he said.
"The DNA test confirmed 100 percent Saddam Hussein's identity," he said.
Qanbar said the capture took place "in a town very close to Tikrit," Saddam's hometown 100 miles north of Baghdad
new_beau
Age: 124
7703 days old here
Total Posts: 10168
Points: 0
Location:
United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
Well..It could be a fake Saddam too.. Coz..They Presented it only for the World...So World Cant say..the raided on Kabul and still They Cant find Osama.. Now they destroyed Iraq and couldnt Find Saddam...
madmax
Age: 124
8246 days old here
Total Posts: 7183
Points: 0
Location:
Iraq, Iraq
well all over the news well fake pics ya video ho sakhti hay may nay dhaikay hay news may kuch garbar hay aghar saddam ko capture kar sakhtay hain to phir ossama bin ladin ko kiyoo nahi pakhar sakhtay hain
dna test lol kis nay conduct kiya tha jhoot bhi to bhool sakhtay hay moral booost karnay kay leyi
paki lion
Age: 124
7945 days old here
Total Posts: 1162
Points: 0
Location:
Netherlands, Netherlands
madmax said:
well all over the news well fake pics ya video ho sakhti hay may nay dhaikay hay news may kuch garbar hay aghar saddam ko capture kar sakhtay hain to phir ossama bin ladin ko kiyoo nahi pakhar sakhtay hain
dna test lol kis nay conduct kiya tha jhoot bhi to bhool sakhtay hay moral booost karnay kay leyi
why would they lie????do they have any reason to lie?? have u seen the pictures or live video coverage..i hjave seen it and its 100% beyond doubt that he is the real saddam hussein...
SibS
Age: 124
7672 days old here
Total Posts: 209
Points: 0
Location:
United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
its a fake sadam,screw dna ,there are almost 10-15 dummies like sadam,it might be one of them, i think the real sadam might be watchin it on tv and laughin.hahaahhaah
SibS
Age: 124
7672 days old here
Total Posts: 209
Points: 0
Location:
United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
Let the real sadam sleep in peace, The real sadam might be cursin his dupe,that fool is not allowin me to sleep now, i cant even cant watch tv,no music,wherever i look ,it says iam captured ,hahaha,
sanam411
Age: 124
8223 days old here
Total Posts: 8696
Points: 0
Location:
USA, USA
paki lion said:
madmax said:
well all over the news well fake pics ya video ho sakhti hay may nay dhaikay hay news may kuch garbar hay aghar saddam ko capture kar sakhtay hain to phir ossama bin ladin ko kiyoo nahi pakhar sakhtay hain
dna test lol kis nay conduct kiya tha jhoot bhi to bhool sakhtay hay moral booost karnay kay leyi
why would they lie????do they have any reason to lie?? have u seen the pictures or live video coverage..i hjave seen it and its 100% beyond doubt that he is the real saddam hussein...
IMAN
Age: 124
7685 days old here
Total Posts: 443
Points: 0
Location:
Canada, Canada
madmax said:
well all over the news well fake pics ya video ho sakhti hay may nay dhaikay hay news may kuch garbar hay aghar saddam ko capture kar sakhtay hain to phir ossama bin ladin ko kiyoo nahi pakhar sakhtay hain
dna test lol kis nay conduct kiya tha jhoot bhi to bhool sakhtay hay moral booost karnay kay leyi
IT IS SADDAM!!!
osama bin laden eik bohat bhara admi hai and he has ppl to save him yaar ...who is saddam ...saddam has no help...no one helped him no country helped him his sons died...and ppl thaught they were fake too but no they weren't PLZ...don't compare saddam with OSAMA ...yaar there is a BIG diff...osama key agey peechey log hain saddam ke nahin...and they woulden't lie its usa yaar...they can't lie....it is saddam he's old now his power is gone he has nothing left...Aur ALLAH na karey ke osama kabhi pakra jaiy...plz i hope never...!!IMAN37970.2144907407
IMAN
Age: 124
7685 days old here
Total Posts: 443
Points: 0
Location:
Canada, Canada
LOL FAKE SADAAM YOU GUYZ DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SAYIN RIGHT ? FAKE, THAT SADAAAM IS REAL CAN'T YOU SEE THE VIDEO THAT IS REAL SADAAM HUSSAIN HIS GOVERMENT WAS GONE MONTH AGO HE WAS NO THREAT HE WAS ALONE IN THE WORLD YOU COMPARING OSAMA TO SADAAM OSAMA IS THE LEADER OF THE JIHADI NETWORK AL-QAEDA HE IS THREAT TO AMERICA AND ALLIES OSAMA IS NOT ALONE IN THE WORLD. PEOPLE, OSAMA IS A BIG PERSONALITY IS SADDAM CAPABALE OF DOING ATTACKS IN OTHER COUNTRIES NO IS OSAMA'S GROUP YES THEN WHO IS BIGGER OSAMA OR SADAAM. DON'T EVEN COMPARE OSAMA TO SADAAM, SADAAM IS A COWARD THAT'S WHY HE IS CAUGHT AS THE SAYING GOES " JO DAR GAYA WO MAR GAYA" THE FACT IS THAT IT'S SAD SADAAM IS CAUGHT BY THE AMERICANS. IMAN37970.2367592593
handsome_gujjar
Age: 124
7653 days old here
Total Posts: 70
Points: 0
Location:
,
Ok Guys I Just Want To Say This. Tum Logoo ko fake lagta hai chalo tu phir Tumhara Real Sadaam Kyon Nahin bolta ke Mein Pakara Nahin Gaya? Sala Chup Kyon Hai Bolna chaiy usay. HE has given lots MESSAGES over the months why not another ONE sayin that I'M NOT CAUGHT. IF he comes up and says that then I will believe IT'S not saddam plus SADAAM is not that big that he won't be caught. KUDHA TO NAHIN NA?
handsome_gujjar
Age: 124
7653 days old here
Total Posts: 70
Points: 0
Location:
,
and guys one more thing agar saddam fake bhana diya hai to phir wo fake osama kyon nahin banatey aur awam ko dehka thy bcuz they can't ajj thak asey koi jes nahin bhani jis sey koi kisi ke fake video bhanaday please talk sense here
madmax
Age: 124
8246 days old here
Total Posts: 7183
Points: 0
Location:
Iraq, Iraq
paki lion said:
madmax said:
well all over the news well fake pics ya video ho sakhti hay may nay dhaikay hay news may kuch garbar hay aghar saddam ko capture kar sakhtay hain to phir ossama bin ladin ko kiyoo nahi pakhar sakhtay hain
dna test lol kis nay conduct kiya tha jhoot bhi to bhool sakhtay hay moral booost karnay kay leyi
why would they lie????do they have any reason to lie?? have u seen the pictures or live video coverage..i hjave seen it and its 100% beyond doubt that he is the real saddam hussein...
why would the lie good question but i wanna ask u a question kya un nay khabi sach bhoola hay nahi they r the big liers we all know that well woh kehtay thay saddam kay pass chemical and biological weapons hain of mass destruction kya woh iraq may millay nahiis wajha say to us and uk nay iraq pay hamlla kiya tha to kya yea lie nahi tha lolz aur kya bataoon ab video dhaikh kay yea to nahi kaha ja sakhta that he is saddam hussien well fake video hain yea vidoes may nay bhi dhaikay hay and i think he is not saddam hussien ok
madmax
Age: 124
8246 days old here
Total Posts: 7183
Points: 0
Location:
Iraq, Iraq
IMAN said:
madmax said:
well all over the news well fake pics ya video ho sakhti hay may nay dhaikay hay news may kuch garbar hay aghar saddam ko capture kar sakhtay hain to phir ossama bin ladin ko kiyoo nahi pakhar sakhtay hain
dna test lol kis nay conduct kiya tha jhoot bhi to bhool sakhtay hay moral booost karnay kay leyi
IT IS SADDAM!!!
osama bin laden eik bohat bhara admi hai and he has ppl to save him yaar ...who is saddam ...saddam has no help...no one helped him no country helped him his sons died...and ppl thaught they were fake too but no they weren't PLZ...don't compare saddam with OSAMA ...yaar there is a BIG diff...osama key agey peechey log hain saddam ke nahin...and they woulden't lie its usa yaar...they can't lie....it is saddam he's old now his power is gone he has nothing left...Aur ALLAH na karey ke osama kabhi pakra jaiy...plz i hope never...!!
lolz bahout bara admi a few millons dollar us kay kull assasa jaat hain and saddam u know 100 osamma milla kay bhi saddam nahi ban sakhtian ok
usa is the biggest lier well look at my above post usa nay khabi sach bhoola hay nope never yaar i think that saddam is a fake one saddam ko yea nahi pakhar sakhtay moral boost hassil kar rahi hain aur is say iraq may jo fidayi hamlay ho rahi hain woh bhi toray kaam ya kuch dinno kay badh khattam ho gaying gaay
fake one 
jaisay is ke son's ko mara tha 
<<< bush
