HeXp£Øi±
Well-Known Member
General effectively prisoner in own home in extraordinary attempt to prevent coupFearing a possible coup to his dictatorship in Baghdad, Saddam Hussein has reportedly placed his defense minister, a close relative, under house arrest.
Britain's Guardian newspaper cites reports from opposition newspapers in Iraq, claiming that the head of the Iraqi military, Lt. Gen. Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Jabburi Tai, was now effectively a prisoner in his home.
Not only is the general a member of Saddam's inner circle, but he's also the father-in-law of Saddam's son Qusay, considered by many to be the heir apparent to power.
An independent source in Baghdad contacted by the Guardian confirmed that Sultan was in custody.
"He continues to attend cabinet meetings and appear on Iraqi TV, so that everything seems normal," said the source, a high-ranking official with connections to Iraq's ruling Ba'ath party. "But in reality his house and family are surrounded by Saddam's personal guards. They are there so he can't flee."
The source also told the paper that several other high-ranking military and government officials had been arrested in the past few days.
News of the arrest comes amid indications of a growing sense of apprehension that the Iraqi army, including members of the elite Republican Guard, might desert in the event of a U.S.-led attack on the nation.
Such a fear has reportedly prompted some drastic measures by Saddam. Last week, he reportedly deployed a militia of Iranian fighters to several cities to crush any popular uprisings. The Mojahedin-e-Khalq – a violent Iranian opposition group based in Iraq – was sent to defend urban areas, including Baghdad, Kurdish newspapers reported. MEK fighters have also arrived at the border with Kuwait and with Syria.
Iraqi opposition sources believe the MEK remains fanatically loyal to the president and is likely to lead any street fighting against U.S. troops, according to the report.
Saddam has had family problems in the past. Just seven years ago, he had his two sons-in-law executed after he persuaded them to return to Baghdad following their defection to Jordan. Also, his estranged wife Sajida refuses to speak with him after the mysterious death of her brother.
For his part, Gen. Sultan is a well-respected soldier and was decorated by Saddam for bravery after the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. He survived several purges of the military and was eventually named defense minister.
In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, it was he who signed the cease-fire deal between the Iraqi army and U.S.-led coalition forces. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31096
Britain's Guardian newspaper cites reports from opposition newspapers in Iraq, claiming that the head of the Iraqi military, Lt. Gen. Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Jabburi Tai, was now effectively a prisoner in his home.
Not only is the general a member of Saddam's inner circle, but he's also the father-in-law of Saddam's son Qusay, considered by many to be the heir apparent to power.
An independent source in Baghdad contacted by the Guardian confirmed that Sultan was in custody.
"He continues to attend cabinet meetings and appear on Iraqi TV, so that everything seems normal," said the source, a high-ranking official with connections to Iraq's ruling Ba'ath party. "But in reality his house and family are surrounded by Saddam's personal guards. They are there so he can't flee."
The source also told the paper that several other high-ranking military and government officials had been arrested in the past few days.
News of the arrest comes amid indications of a growing sense of apprehension that the Iraqi army, including members of the elite Republican Guard, might desert in the event of a U.S.-led attack on the nation.
Such a fear has reportedly prompted some drastic measures by Saddam. Last week, he reportedly deployed a militia of Iranian fighters to several cities to crush any popular uprisings. The Mojahedin-e-Khalq – a violent Iranian opposition group based in Iraq – was sent to defend urban areas, including Baghdad, Kurdish newspapers reported. MEK fighters have also arrived at the border with Kuwait and with Syria.
Iraqi opposition sources believe the MEK remains fanatically loyal to the president and is likely to lead any street fighting against U.S. troops, according to the report.
Saddam has had family problems in the past. Just seven years ago, he had his two sons-in-law executed after he persuaded them to return to Baghdad following their defection to Jordan. Also, his estranged wife Sajida refuses to speak with him after the mysterious death of her brother.
For his part, Gen. Sultan is a well-respected soldier and was decorated by Saddam for bravery after the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. He survived several purges of the military and was eventually named defense minister.
In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, it was he who signed the cease-fire deal between the Iraqi army and U.S.-led coalition forces. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31096
