Saddam tells interrogators 'no weapons of mass destruction'

4.00pm

WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein denied during the initial interrogation after his capture that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, Time magazine has reported.

Citing a US intelligence official in Iraq, the report said that when asked if his government had such weapons Saddam replied: "No, of course not. The US dreamed them up itself to have a reason to go to war with us."

The news magazine reported that the official, who read a transcript of the interrogation of the former Iraqi president, said the interrogator asked: "If you had no weapons of mass destruction, then why not let the UN inspectors into your facilities?"

Saddam's reply: "We didn't want them to go into the presidential areas and intrude on our privacy."

The US intelligence official, who was not identified, told the magazine that Saddam had not been very co-operative and did not answer any of the initial questions directly.

The transcript was full of "Saddam rhetoric type stuff," said the official, who paraphrased some of Saddam's responses.

According to the report, when asked, "How are you?" Saddam responded: "I am sad because my people are in bondage."

Both Time and Newsweek reported that after he was taken into custody Saddam had been taken to a holding cell at Baghdad airport, where other top Iraqi detainees are held for interrogation.

In its report on Saddam's capture, Newsweek said that the former Iraqi leader identified himself as he surrendered with no resistance.

"Don't shoot," Saddam said, according to a military source quoted by Newsweek. "I am Saddam Hussein, the president of the Republic of Iraq."

- REUTERS


Herald Feature: Iraq