The United States officially confirmed on Sunday that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was arrested near his hometown of Tikrit more than eight months after the Saddam regim was toppled.
US civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer told a press conference that Saddam was arrested at 8:30P.M.(1730GMT)Saturday.About 600coalition troops joined the operation.
The US forces also showed video of captured Saddam,who was wearing a beard and undergoing a medical examination.Saddam is "in good health"and without injuries,a US spokesman told reporters.
The former Iraqi president had 750,000US dollars in cash on him,the spokesman said.
In Baghdad,Iraqis celebrated the capture of the former leader Saddam Hussein with gunfire while the fate of Saddam is not definitely known yet.
Continuous gunshots were heard over the neighborhoods as reports poured into the city early in the day that Saddam may havebeen caught after the US-led coalition forces launched an overnight operation in his hometown of Tikrit,170km north of Baghdad.
Saddam's capture was firstly reported by Iran's official news agency IRNA,which on Sunday morning quoted Iraqi Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as saying that "Saddam Hussein was arrested in his hometown of Tikrit."Enditem
IGC issues statement confirming Saddam's capture
BAGHDAD,Dec.14(Xinhuanet)--The Iraqi Interim Governing Council (IGC)issued a statement on Sunday,confirming that former dictator Saddam Hussein has been captured.
The statement said the ousted leader was arrested in his hometown of Tikrit,170km north of Baghdad,in an overnight joint operation conducted by US-led coalition and Kurdish forces.
The arrested figure was wearing a "fake beard"and DNA tests have proven he was the former president "beyond any doubt."
The governing council "would like to congratulate the Iraqi people and the entire human race on this huge victory,"the statement said.
A press conference will be held in Baghdad at 3:00p.m.(1200GMT)by US top civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer and US ground forces commander Lt.Gen.Ricardo Sanchez.
