Saddam's Bodyguards Captured

July 25, 2003

WASHINGTON  — U.S. troops detained 13 people -- including as many as 10 believed to be part of Saddam Hussein's personal security team -- during a raid on a house south of Tikrit, the U.S. military said Friday.

Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, made the disclosure in a video-teleconference from Iraq with reporters at the Pentagon.

Tikrit is the former Iraqi dictator's hometown and a source of continuing support for his deposed regime.

The raid was based on intelligence from local Iraqis.

Asked whether he believed U.S. forces were closing in on Saddam, Odierno said it was unclear whether the newly captured members of his security detail had been protecting him recently.

He said U.S. troops also have spoken with one of Saddam's wives. He did not identify her.

Odierno said officials are still sorting through the detainees. When asked if there were reports that Saddam himself was believed to be nearby, Odierno wouldn't talk about any specifics but said there are a number of operations following up on a number of leads.

Odierno said information from Iraqis has been "flowing in" in the past 24 hours.

The Bush administration and U.S. officials hope more Iraqis will come forward with information about the whereabouts of former regime members following the release of pictures and videos of the bodies of Uday and Qusay Hussein, who were killed in a firefight with U.S. forces Tuesday.

Odierno said his troops have detained 1,000 individuals in the past 30 days alone.

"We continue to tighten the noose," he said.

Fox News' Bret Baier and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,92933,00.html