- BAGHDAD -- Ahmad Chalabi,
president of the Iraqi National Congress, has said Saddam Hussein is moving
around in the country under special protection. In an interview with Asharq
Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, he said the people around
Saddam had now abandoned him. "They don't know about his whereabouts,"
he added. Chalabi said he was not surprised by the sudden fall of Saddam's
forces during the US-led war. "We told the Americans that neither
the Republican Guards nor the army would fight in defense of Saddam,"
he explained.
-
- He said those who had fought against the US/UK forces
were people belonging to the special operation wing under the Iraqi intelligence
agency. They included two women suicide bombers. He accused Saddam of killing
more Iraqis per month than were killed in the US-led war.
-
- Chalabi said his party played a role in handing over
former Iraqi Deputy Premier Tareq Aziz to US forces. "The report that
Aziz surrendered to US authorities of his own accord is not correct. We
told the US authorities where he was staying,"" he added
-
- He said his men had also assisted in the arrest of many
other leaders of the former regime, including Hussein Takriti, commander
of the air defense forces.
-
- He said the new Iraqi interim authority would be formed
in a democratic manner. "We are now discussing this matter with all
Iraqi parties. We are trying to reach out to a large number of Iraqi people
including tribal and trade union leaders for consultation," he said.
Chalabi said he wanted the voice of more Iraqi personalities in various
parts of the country to be heard.
-
- He did not want to play a political role in the presence
of Americans, he said. "Because, personally I don't like to take instructions
from others and I don't want to be under the influence of any party. Otherwise
people will have doubts who is the actual authority. But I want to have
a role which will allow me to speak out in defense of the Iraqi people,
their freedom and civil rights," he added.
-
- He said many leaders of the former regime were still
in the country but revealed that Kamal Mustafa Al-Takriti, commander of
the Republican Guards, and other senior military officers had left the
country.
-
- The Iraqi opposition leader also said the Badr brigade
under the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution was seeking to become
part of the Iraqi armed forces. He opposed the presence of armed militias
in the country. "We want to neutralize these forces and bring them
under a single military force to stabilize the country," he added.
-
- Chalabi denied reports that there were more than 100
American POWs in Iraq. "I don't think so. According to our information
their number is very small."
|