Thread: that Saddam Hussein's two sons have been killed

Check it out

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/...ons/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. officials said they are "reasonably confident" that Saddam Hussein's two sons have been killed in what they characterize as an "intense firefight" Tuesday with American troops.

Uday and Qusay -- key members of Saddam's regime -- are thought to be among four people killed during a dramatic four-hour battle in Mosul, northern Iraq.

While there has been no official confirmation of the deaths one U.S. official told CNN: "We are reasonably certain they could have met their maker."

Intelligence reports indicated Uday and Qusay, who both have $15 million bounties on their heads, were in the Mosul area recently and the official added: "We didn't just stumble across them." (Map)

Two hundred members of the 101st Airborne Division swept onto the scene in the assault, and no one was captured, a U.S. official told CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.

The military went in and engaged in a "big firefight," the official said. "We have bodies that could very well be them," said the U.S. official. (Gallery: The firefight scene)

The charred bodies were recovered in the home of a wealthy contractor after the gun battle, Miral Fahmy, a Reuters correspondent in Mosul, told CNN. One U.S. soldier was wounded, she added.

Military sources in Baghdad said the bodies were those of high-ranking allies of Saddam.

A senior Pentagon official said one of the two other bodies appeared to be that of a teenage boy. U.S. officials noted that Qusay has a teenage son. The other body recovered appeared to be that of a bodyguard.

A U.S. official said, there were "indicators" that "prominent figures," possibly Uday and Qusay Hussein, were in the area. The official said Saddam Hussein was not among them.

CNN Correspondent Rym Brahimi said it was possible DNA tests would be carried out on the bodies. She added that Uday had a series of medical conditions that could be used to help identify him.

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld briefed President Bush about the Mosul operation after it was over, a senior defense official told CNN, but he cautioned not to read too much into that.

"Part of the reason he discussed this operation in particular was because he knew it would get a lot of attention, and that first reports are often wrong," the official said.

Both in deck of cards
Saddam and his sons have been fugitives since their government collapsed after a U.S.-led invasion in March.

U.S. officials have said they need to capture the former ruling family in order to break resistance to U.S. occupation forces and encourage cooperation by ordinary Iraqis fearful that Saddam could return to power.

Retired Army Brigadier General David Grange told CNN that should the deaths of Uday and Qusay be confirmed it would deal a psychological blow to those Saddam loyalists still attacking U.S. troops in Iraq.

Qusay and Uday are the second- and third-most wanted fugitive Iraqi leaders and both are in the playing card deck of most wanted Iraqis issued to U.S. troops in Iraq. Uday is the Ace of Hearts and Qusay the Ace of Clubs. (Flash interactive: Iraq's most-wanted)

Qusay is the son widely perceived as most likely to succeed Saddam.

As Iraq prepared its defenses in the run-up to the Second Gulf War, Qusay was put in charge of four key areas including Baghdad and Tikrit - the family's tribal home.

When the war began he was in charge of the country's vast intelligence network, the 80,000-strong Republican Guard and 15,000-member Special Republican Guard, who were charged with protecting Saddam and his family.

Uday has a reputation for violence that includes torturing Iraqi athletes who do not meet expectations. He also ran the dreaded Saddam Fedayeen security force.

He was also in charge of the nation's Olympic committee, edited a leading newspaper, Babel, and head of Youth TV, the country's most popular channel.

Just before the second Gulf War, Uday warned Iraqi troops would make the mothers of U.S. soldiers "weep blood instead of tears."

-- CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr and National Security Producer Pam Benson contributed to this report.

If there is a hell..I hope those to rapist murdering thugs are burning in the hottest part of it.