December 9, 2003	Tuesday	Shawwal 14, 1424

BAGHDAD, Dec 8: An armed supporter of Saddam Hussein has said loyalists under the ousted strongman’s command were still fighting across one-third of Iraq as the top US commander vowed on Sunday to capture or kill him.

The tribal chief said the former president was personally directing the resistance dogging US troops eight months after they entered the Iraqi capital.

“Saddam Hussein is in good health and living in the west of Iraq,” said the man, who is involved in the struggle and calls himself only Abu Mohammad.

“The Iraqi president is commanding the military operations against the American forces,” he said on Saturday.

Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of the US ground forces, said he had read the report and insisted the hunt for Saddam Hussein remained a priority.

“He’s the needle in the haystack, clearly we have to find the right haystack. It’s a hard problem,” he said at a press conference.

A journalist was introduced to the tribal leader by a Baath nationalist politician working to set up a new party to support the resistance.

The politician said Saddam presided over a meeting of “dozens of Baath party cadres” at Ramadi at iftar.

A dissident Baath figure confirmed the secret meeting, saying it took place on Nov 8, the same day Gen John Abizaid, commanding officer of US Central Command, gathered tribal leaders in Ramadi to try to work out how to halt attacks.—AFP