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Ace of Diamonds of Iraqi Most Wanted Captured
Aired June 18, 2003 - 11:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We now have a report to you, something that's just coming to our Jamie McIntrye at the Pentagon, a very significant person taken into custody right now. We understand that the number four man on the list of Iraqis most wanted, Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti may now be in custody.
Our Jamie McIntrye is standing by at the Pentagon with the word on this -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SNR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Leon.
Pentagon officials are confirming that the number four man on the most wanted list, that's right after Saddam Hussein and his two sons is now in U.S. custody. General Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti is described as Saddam Hussein's personal secretary, his national security adviser and senior bodyguard. And, of course, as you see there, he is the ace of diamonds in the U.S. military's deck in the 55 most wanted Iraqis.
We don't know the circumstances of how he came into U.S. custody except to say that this morning here in the Pentagon by video teleconference, Major General Ray Odierno, the 4th Infantry Division commander talked about a series of raids on a couple of farm houses north of Baghdad, south of Tikrit, where he said a senior bodyguard was taken into custody along with a large amount of cash, American cash, also British sterling, several -- about $8 million in U.S. currency plus some Iraqi currency, as well.
And the general said that this is part of a campaign to try to stop the attacks on U.S. military, which they believe are, in many cases, the result of people being paid large sums of money to attack U.S. forces. And they believe in taking down locations like this one this morning south of Tikrit, and arresting this senior bodyguard, that they may start to make a dent in putting an end to some of those attacks, which, again, they believe are being funded by some of Saddam Hussein's supporters, and also the fact that they put some bounties, rewards for attacking U.S. troops. So, again, it looks like this may all be part of the same operation -- Leon.
HARRIS: Very interesting development there. Thanks, Jamie. Get back to us once you learn more about that, very significant capture there in Iraq.
MCINTYRE: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 18, 2003 - 11:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We now have a report to you, something that's just coming to our Jamie McIntrye at the Pentagon, a very significant person taken into custody right now. We understand that the number four man on the list of Iraqis most wanted, Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti may now be in custody.
Our Jamie McIntrye is standing by at the Pentagon with the word on this -- Jamie.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SNR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Leon.
Pentagon officials are confirming that the number four man on the most wanted list, that's right after Saddam Hussein and his two sons is now in U.S. custody. General Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti is described as Saddam Hussein's personal secretary, his national security adviser and senior bodyguard. And, of course, as you see there, he is the ace of diamonds in the U.S. military's deck in the 55 most wanted Iraqis.
We don't know the circumstances of how he came into U.S. custody except to say that this morning here in the Pentagon by video teleconference, Major General Ray Odierno, the 4th Infantry Division commander talked about a series of raids on a couple of farm houses north of Baghdad, south of Tikrit, where he said a senior bodyguard was taken into custody along with a large amount of cash, American cash, also British sterling, several -- about $8 million in U.S. currency plus some Iraqi currency, as well.
And the general said that this is part of a campaign to try to stop the attacks on U.S. military, which they believe are, in many cases, the result of people being paid large sums of money to attack U.S. forces. And they believe in taking down locations like this one this morning south of Tikrit, and arresting this senior bodyguard, that they may start to make a dent in putting an end to some of those attacks, which, again, they believe are being funded by some of Saddam Hussein's supporters, and also the fact that they put some bounties, rewards for attacking U.S. troops. So, again, it looks like this may all be part of the same operation -- Leon.
HARRIS: Very interesting development there. Thanks, Jamie. Get back to us once you learn more about that, very significant capture there in Iraq.
MCINTYRE: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
