US says it holds former Iraqi Interior Minister

6.30pm

BAGHDAD - The US military said on Saturday that Saddam Hussein's former interior minister, number 29 on a US list of the 55 most wanted, was in custody.
"Mahmoud Diyab al-Ahmed, number 29 on the coalition's list of most wanted government officials, is now under custody of coalition forces," Central Command said in a statement.

"The former Iraqi Minister of Interior surrendered to coalition forces yesterday."

The US military had announced his capture in July, but on Saturday said that had been an error.

"We were mistaken," said Lt. Ryan Fitzgerald, a Central Command spokesman in Tampa, Florida. "We thought we had him, but we didn't and now we do."

Including the former interior minister, the United States has reported 37 of the people on its list of 55 have surrendered or been captured or killed.

Deposed President Saddam Hussein, who tops the list, remains at large though his two sons Uday and Qusay have been killed.

Earlier on Saturday US troops arrested the former local commander of the Baath Party militia in the restive Iraqi town of Falluja, witnesses said.

US forces have stepped up raids in Sunni Muslim towns north and west of Baghdad in an attempt to root out guerrillas attacking them daily.

US officials say die-hard supporters of Saddam and his deposed Baath Party are behind attacks that have killed 55 US soldiers since May 1.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq