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U.S. Captures Two Saddam Loyalists In Tikrit

Aired August 01, 2003 - 13:00   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You snooze, you lose. Two purported pals of Saddam Hussein caught napping today by a lighting raid in Tikrit. The U.S. says they're in custody now as the pursuit of Saddam continues in and around his ancestral home.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck standing by in Tikrit to tell us the very latest -- Harris.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra. the 4th Infantry Division, U.S. Army's 4th I.D. carried out a raid on two homes in the Tikrit are. Tikrit, as you know, is Saddam Hussein's homeland.

Two individuals were captured. A little bit of confusion yet on how they're being characterized by the military. Some say they are close associates of Saddam Hussein's. Others say they are simply Saddam's loyalists.

The point is that they are being questioned. U.S. military officials trying to glean new information that might help them as they try to get closer, try to close in on Saddam Hussein himself. Many people here seem to think he still might be in this area given the fact it is his homeland and this is where he probably still has the greater quantity of support, the greater support from the population.

Now, these raids continue, usually, at all hours of the day and night. And, again, U.S. Army here says that it is willing to continue these raids until it reaches its objective, an objective that is referred to informally as "Elvis," because there has been so many reported sightings of Saddam Hussein if you will. So in the lingo, in the casual talk back in the operations, controls room, they refer to Saddam Hussein as Elvis -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Harris Whitbeck, following the hunt for Saddam Hussein, 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 August 1, 2003 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You snooze, you lose. Two purported pals of Saddam Hussein caught napping today by a lighting raid in Tikrit. The U.S. says they're in custody now as the pursuit of Saddam continues in and around his ancestral home.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck standing by in Tikrit to tell us the very latest -- Harris.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra. the 4th Infantry Division, U.S. Army's 4th I.D. carried out a raid on two homes in the Tikrit are. Tikrit, as you know, is Saddam Hussein's homeland.

Two individuals were captured. A little bit of confusion yet on how they're being characterized by the military. Some say they are close associates of Saddam Hussein's. Others say they are simply Saddam's loyalists.

The point is that they are being questioned. U.S. military officials trying to glean new information that might help them as they try to get closer, try to close in on Saddam Hussein himself. Many people here seem to think he still might be in this area given the fact it is his homeland and this is where he probably still has the greater quantity of support, the greater support from the population.

Now, these raids continue, usually, at all hours of the day and night. And, again, U.S. Army here says that it is willing to continue these raids until it reaches its objective, an objective that is referred to informally as "Elvis," because there has been so many reported sightings of Saddam Hussein if you will. So in the lingo, in the casual talk back in the operations, controls room, they refer to Saddam Hussein as Elvis -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Harris Whitbeck, following the hunt for Saddam Hussein, 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