'Saddam detained'
2003-12-14 12:24
Teheran - Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been detained in Iraq, Iran's official news agency reports.
"Saddam Hussein was arrested in his hometown of Tikrit," the Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Iraqi Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as saying. The IRNA report said Saddam was arrested in his hometown of Tikrit.
Talabani also said the US occupation forces have confirmed the report.
"Americans have said that the arrest will be officially announced in the next few hours," IRNA quoted Talabani as saying.
In the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a spokesperson for the US-led occupation notified reporters that a "very important" announcement will be made at a news conference scheduled for 12:00 GMT, but did not say who would be the speaker.
Hamid Ali Alkifaey, spokesperson for the Iraqi Governing Council, said he could not confirm the detention.
IRNA said Talabani broke the news in the Iraqi city of al-Mundhariya. The agency filed the report from Qasr-e-Shirin, a town in western Iran bordering Iraq.
- AP