U.S. casts doubt on Saddam deputy's death

[fearnobush]

The Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — U.S. troops will continue to search for Saddam Hussein's chief deputy, the U.S. command said Sunday, casting doubt on an online claim that the suspected architect of the Iraqi insurgency had died.

A Baathist Web site on Saturday reported that Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri had died the previous day; another Web site, also purporting to carry statements from the banned party, said al-Douri was alive and apologized for the false report of his death.

"Coalition officials question the validity of the Baath party claim, and a reward of up to $10 million remains for information leading to al-Douri's capture or his gravesite," a U.S. statement said. "Numerous reports indicate he is suspected to be in poor health and running out of hiding places and supporters willing to help him in northern Iraq."

<http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/index.ssf?/base/international-27/1131915251125490.xml&storylist=njhomepage>

[daleo]

1. You mean to say a website claim isn't good enough now?

Funny how website postings are good enough for some things, but not for others.

[Don Claybrook]

2. There's a good reason for that

This claim of death didn't originate with a top-level domain name of .ter, which is the ICANN-assigned suffix for terrorist announcement headlines.

Zarqawi uses a .ter domain name, letting us know that all of those claims are genuine.

We've always been at war with EastAsia, you know.