AMMAN, Nov 6: Saddam Hussein fled a villa in Baghdad’s Al Mansur neighbourhood where he was set to meet four close aides on April 7, only 15 minutes before it was bombed by US forces, according to a former Iraqi government official.

Saddam was due to meet with his number two, Izzat Ibrahim al Douri, vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan, defence minister Sultan Hashem and intelligence chief Tahir Jalil al Habbush al Takriti, the former official said.

The source, who was speaking from a location outside Iraq and outside Jordan, said that Saddam fled because he feared he had been betrayed by his intelligence chief.

On April 7 they were due to gather at the Al Mansur villa, near Al Sa’ah restaurant, which was owned by the Iraqi intelligence services, he said.

The meeting was organized by “Saddam’s nephews”, he said.

“Saddam had been using them as messengers for the past few months and they would deliver his messages to his close aides in person,” he said.

“That Monday afternoon, Saddam arrived in a yellow ‘Sunny’ taxi that bore licence plates with the number 660. He was followed by Taha Yassin Ramadan in a white Toyota Corolla collective taxi.

“Izzat Ibrahim and Sultan Hashim were already waiting for them,” the former official said.

As he walked into the house, Saddam asked one of his nephews who headed the messenger team, “did you inform Tahir?” in reference to his intelligence chief.

The nephew replied affirmatively. Tahir, however, was not in the house.

For Saddam, his absence meant only one thing: a trap.

The Iraqi leader immediately fled the Al Mansur villa on foot, crossed a narrow street and walked several hundred metres until he reached a main road where Taha Yassin Ramadan’s taxi was waiting.

“I am sure of this information,” the source said.—AFP