Steve Russell and his men of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. forces exterminated Osama bin Laden in Pakistan on May 1, 2011, the world witnessed a brilliantly fruitful example of history repeating itself less than a decade earlier, the capture of Saddam Hussein, a triumph of military strategy in and of itself, opened the door for the more recent and essential victory in the War on Terror.Īt the center of the six-month manhunt were Lt. Steve Russell comes a compelling firsthand account of the blow-by-blow plays of the actual raids that led to the capture of Saddam Hussein in 2003. He showed a news conference a videotape of a dishevelled and heavily-bearded Saddam Hussein being examined by an American doctor.From retired U.S. The former Iraqi leader was removed at 2115 and taken to an undisclosed secure location, General Sanchez said. Top US military commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said the former dictator was 'talkative and co-operative', had no injuries and was in good health.Īlong with the former Iraqi dictator, troops discovered $750,000 cash in $100 bills, two AK-47 machine guns and a briefcase of documents.Ī white and orange taxi was parked near the compound. No mobile phones or other communications equipment were found, suggesting that Saddam Hussein was providing 'moral support' and was no longer co-ordinating the Iraqi resistance, Major General Odierno added. The spokesman said it was likely he had been there for a short time when the 'ultimate information' came from a member of a family brought in for questioning. 'I think it was rather ironic that he was in a hole in the ground across the river from these great palaces that he has built, where he robbed all the money from the Iraqi people,' Major General Odierno said.Īlthough the area had been searched before, it was likely Saddam Hussein had not been there, as he was thought to have moved often and at short notice. He said the hole was very close to the Tigris river, within view of some of the captive's palaces. Saddam Hussein would have moved from the building into the hole whenever coalition forces were in the area, Major General Odierno added. He said one was a bedroom that was cluttered with clothes, including new T-shirts and socks and a 'very rudimentary' kitchen, with running water. Major General Odierno said the farm where the former leader was found consisted of 'two very small rooms in an adobe hut'. The underground chamber the former Iraqi leader had secreted himself in was six-to-eight feet (1.8 metres - 2.4 metres) deep, with enough space for a person to lie down, and an air vent and extractor fan. Two other people, believed to have formed Saddam Hussein's small entourage, were also captured and taken away for interrogation. 'Regards from President Bush,' US special forces replied, Major Reed recounted. I am the president of Iraq and I want to negotiate,' he told the US troops in English, according to Major Bryan Reed, operations officer for the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. He put up no resistance although armed with a pistol.

Saddam Hussein was pulled out at 2036, 'disoriented' and 'bewildered', according to Major General Ray Odierno, commander of the 4th Infantry Division. The individual clearly wanted to surrender,' he said. Saddam Hussein was found in a carefully hidden holeĬolonel Hickey said that the soldiers looked into the hole and saw a figure inside it.

Colonel saddam hussein capture