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CNN Live Sunday
Caputure Of Hussein Surprise For Troops Involved
Aired December 14, 2003 - 15:05 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Coalition forces say most of the troops involved in "Operation Red Down" had no idea when it began that the prize would actually be the former Iraqi dictator. CNN's Nic Robertson is on the scene in Tikrit with an exclusive look at how it all played out -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON: Well Carol, that was a very interesting comment coming from the general, because we found exactly that from some of the soldiers, here. One of them we talked to a little earlier said that he was involved in the operation, and until it concluded, until it was over, he had no idea who they were going after. He said they go after on a regular basis, go after these high-valued targets and it wasn't until the whole operation wrapped up that he realized who it was. Now, the operation began yesterday evening, a little over 24 hours ago. The troops rolled out of this base to a place a little south of Tikrit, this base is a former Saddam Hussein presidential palace and it was almost within the shadow of this palace, is how it's been described to us, that the troops went in to two farmhouses.
They searched those farmhouses, and didn't find Saddam Hussein there, then between the two buildings, they found a small hut. They say it was a rudimentary dwelling. They said there were some clothes scattered on the floor, clothes in -- new clothes in wrappers, and a rudimentary kitchen, and the soldiers didn't manage to find Saddam Hussein, they continued searching. They noticed a rug just outside the kitchen door in the -- close to one of the farmhouses. As they looked at the rug they realized something was wrong with it, they pulled the rug back. Beneath it was a piece of polystyrene that was covered in soil. They realized something wasn't right about that. Lifted that out and that revealed the hole where Saddam Hussein was, a six foot by eight foot hole and there was Saddam Hussein, and according to the coalition he had a weapon with him, a pistol. He came out without firing a shot. He looking very disheveled, disorientated, they say. But, he apparently did not put up a struggle, was taken away quickly, came to this -- came perhaps to this base, we're told, that's not clear. But, within an hour was already being taken away in a helicopter for debriefing and interrogation elsewhere. So the operation when it took place actually in the terms of coalition operations was quite a quick one and in the terms of the commanders here a very successful one. Not only did they net Saddam Hussein, but they did it, they say, without firing a shot and with no injuries -- Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much. Nic Robertson, live in Tikrit -- Miles.
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 December 14, 2003 - 15:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Coalition forces say most of the troops involved in "Operation Red Down" had no idea when it began that the prize would actually be the former Iraqi dictator. CNN's Nic Robertson is on the scene in Tikrit with an exclusive look at how it all played out -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON: Well Carol, that was a very interesting comment coming from the general, because we found exactly that from some of the soldiers, here. One of them we talked to a little earlier said that he was involved in the operation, and until it concluded, until it was over, he had no idea who they were going after. He said they go after on a regular basis, go after these high-valued targets and it wasn't until the whole operation wrapped up that he realized who it was. Now, the operation began yesterday evening, a little over 24 hours ago. The troops rolled out of this base to a place a little south of Tikrit, this base is a former Saddam Hussein presidential palace and it was almost within the shadow of this palace, is how it's been described to us, that the troops went in to two farmhouses.
They searched those farmhouses, and didn't find Saddam Hussein there, then between the two buildings, they found a small hut. They say it was a rudimentary dwelling. They said there were some clothes scattered on the floor, clothes in -- new clothes in wrappers, and a rudimentary kitchen, and the soldiers didn't manage to find Saddam Hussein, they continued searching. They noticed a rug just outside the kitchen door in the -- close to one of the farmhouses. As they looked at the rug they realized something was wrong with it, they pulled the rug back. Beneath it was a piece of polystyrene that was covered in soil. They realized something wasn't right about that. Lifted that out and that revealed the hole where Saddam Hussein was, a six foot by eight foot hole and there was Saddam Hussein, and according to the coalition he had a weapon with him, a pistol. He came out without firing a shot. He looking very disheveled, disorientated, they say. But, he apparently did not put up a struggle, was taken away quickly, came to this -- came perhaps to this base, we're told, that's not clear. But, within an hour was already being taken away in a helicopter for debriefing and interrogation elsewhere. So the operation when it took place actually in the terms of coalition operations was quite a quick one and in the terms of the commanders here a very successful one. Not only did they net Saddam Hussein, but they did it, they say, without firing a shot and with no injuries -- Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much. Nic Robertson, live in Tikrit -- Miles.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
