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American Morning
Interview with Abbas Al-Janabi, Uday Hussein's Former Press Secretary
Aired July 23, 2003 - 07:07 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: For nearly 15 years, Abbas Al- Janabi was Uday Hussein's press secretary. In 1998, he defected with his wife and his five children. He joins us this morning from London.
Good morning to you, sir. Thanks for joining us.
ABBAS AL-JANABI, UDAY'S FORMER PRESS SECRETARY: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You worked with Uday for 15 years. You were working as his press secretary. What was your reaction yesterday when you got the news that both Uday and Qusay were dead?
AL-JANABI: Well, I get relieved, in fact. And this is the first time after my defection I feel that I am safe now, because, you know, living with those people for 15 years gave me the experience to know them very well. I know they are cruel and I know they are responsible for most of Iraq's miseries.
O'BRIEN: You know they are cruel, because you truly experienced a lot of Uday's brutality firsthand. Describe for me what you went through.
AL-JANABI: Well, you know, I had been sent to jail for more than nine times. During these times, three times, he ordered his pluggers (ph) to torture me in the prison which is very notorious which is called Aroblinia (ph). And in addition to that, he sent one of his bodyguards to pull out one of my teeth by pliers. And, you know, this is with me, this happened with me, and I am his secretary. What about the others?
O'BRIEN: It was said that the brothers hated each other. So, were you surprised that they were found together?
AL-JANABI: No, you know, when it is a hard time, people come together. It is a very hard time. So, I didn't find it surprising that they are together. It's very normal.
O'BRIEN: Details are sparse about exactly what happened, but the word that we're getting is that it was a six-hour firefight, very intense. Does that surprise you that Uday and Qusay would go down fighting to the very end?
AL-JANABI: No, this is not surprising me, because I know them very well. I know Uday's philosophy. When I was with him, he always says that he is not going to surrender. He's not going to -- this is his philosophy: win or lose, die or live. This is his philosophy. So, I think I expect this before, and I said that before that he is going to fight until the last drop of his blood.
O'BRIEN: Will Iraqis across the country be celebrating today? Or do you think that Saddam Hussein needs to be captured or killed before Iraqis can breathe a sigh of relief?
AL-JANABI: Well, if the people in the states and the coalition want to prove that they are right to stage this war, they have to capture Saddam Hussein, because he is now the only man who knows about the mass destruction weapons. I know that Hussein knows about it, and they, along with -- I'm sorry -- Al-Hamoud (ph), his secretary, with whom I've been arrested. So, it is important to capture him and to try him, and this will be very fair...
O'BRIEN: U.S. officials...
AL-JANABI: ... I think for the Iraqis.
O'BRIEN: Oh, forgive me for interrupting you there. U.S. officials say they are considering showing Iraqi citizens the pictures of the dead bodies. Do you think proof is necessary before Iraqis believe that these two are really gone?
AL-JANABI: Yes, this is very important for the Iraqis. You know, in Iraq, let us say in 1991, many people staged, you know, and started to uprise against the regime when they know that Saddam was killed. But later on, it appears that he was not. And this is important showing people, especially, you know, the type of Iraqi people. I'm not talking -- you are talking about a different society, a different culture. So, they need to see anything to be proof, you know.
O'BRIEN: Abbas Al-Janabi, thank you for joining us this morning, and obviously you're breathing a sigh of relief as well. Thanks. Appreciate it.
AL-JANABI: Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Press Secretary>
Aired July 23, 2003 - 07:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: For nearly 15 years, Abbas Al- Janabi was Uday Hussein's press secretary. In 1998, he defected with his wife and his five children. He joins us this morning from London.
Good morning to you, sir. Thanks for joining us.
ABBAS AL-JANABI, UDAY'S FORMER PRESS SECRETARY: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You worked with Uday for 15 years. You were working as his press secretary. What was your reaction yesterday when you got the news that both Uday and Qusay were dead?
AL-JANABI: Well, I get relieved, in fact. And this is the first time after my defection I feel that I am safe now, because, you know, living with those people for 15 years gave me the experience to know them very well. I know they are cruel and I know they are responsible for most of Iraq's miseries.
O'BRIEN: You know they are cruel, because you truly experienced a lot of Uday's brutality firsthand. Describe for me what you went through.
AL-JANABI: Well, you know, I had been sent to jail for more than nine times. During these times, three times, he ordered his pluggers (ph) to torture me in the prison which is very notorious which is called Aroblinia (ph). And in addition to that, he sent one of his bodyguards to pull out one of my teeth by pliers. And, you know, this is with me, this happened with me, and I am his secretary. What about the others?
O'BRIEN: It was said that the brothers hated each other. So, were you surprised that they were found together?
AL-JANABI: No, you know, when it is a hard time, people come together. It is a very hard time. So, I didn't find it surprising that they are together. It's very normal.
O'BRIEN: Details are sparse about exactly what happened, but the word that we're getting is that it was a six-hour firefight, very intense. Does that surprise you that Uday and Qusay would go down fighting to the very end?
AL-JANABI: No, this is not surprising me, because I know them very well. I know Uday's philosophy. When I was with him, he always says that he is not going to surrender. He's not going to -- this is his philosophy: win or lose, die or live. This is his philosophy. So, I think I expect this before, and I said that before that he is going to fight until the last drop of his blood.
O'BRIEN: Will Iraqis across the country be celebrating today? Or do you think that Saddam Hussein needs to be captured or killed before Iraqis can breathe a sigh of relief?
AL-JANABI: Well, if the people in the states and the coalition want to prove that they are right to stage this war, they have to capture Saddam Hussein, because he is now the only man who knows about the mass destruction weapons. I know that Hussein knows about it, and they, along with -- I'm sorry -- Al-Hamoud (ph), his secretary, with whom I've been arrested. So, it is important to capture him and to try him, and this will be very fair...
O'BRIEN: U.S. officials...
AL-JANABI: ... I think for the Iraqis.
O'BRIEN: Oh, forgive me for interrupting you there. U.S. officials say they are considering showing Iraqi citizens the pictures of the dead bodies. Do you think proof is necessary before Iraqis believe that these two are really gone?
AL-JANABI: Yes, this is very important for the Iraqis. You know, in Iraq, let us say in 1991, many people staged, you know, and started to uprise against the regime when they know that Saddam was killed. But later on, it appears that he was not. And this is important showing people, especially, you know, the type of Iraqi people. I'm not talking -- you are talking about a different society, a different culture. So, they need to see anything to be proof, you know.
O'BRIEN: Abbas Al-Janabi, thank you for joining us this morning, and obviously you're breathing a sigh of relief as well. Thanks. Appreciate it.
AL-JANABI: Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Press Secretary>
