U.S. Denies Reports Top Aide of Saddam Captured [View All]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=1&u=/nm/20031202/ts_nm/iraq_ibrahim_denial_dc_2

KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) - The U.S. military denied reports that Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the most wanted man in Iraq (news - web sites) after Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), had been captured in a raid on Tuesday.

"He was definitely not captured in today's mission," Major Doug Vincent of the 173rd Airborne Brigade told reporters who accompanied troops on the raid in Hawija, near Kirkuk.

Earlier, several high-level sources in Iraq's Governing Council said they had been informed that Ibrahim was killed or captured in the operation, which began early on Tuesday and was still going on in the evening.

The U.S. military said last month Ibrahim was directly involved in coordinating attacks on U.S. troops and put a $10 million price on his head. A reward of $25 million is still on offer for information leading to the capture or death of Saddam.





I see a pattern of war stories that are pushed and pushed and pushed by the media, and then retracted (by some) the following day or two.