Dead or alive? White House unsure of Saddam's fate

WASHINGTON (AFP) Apr 01, 2003
The White House said Tuesday that it does not know whether Saddam Hussein is dead or alive, but that his failure to deliver a threatening televised speech personally "raises interesting questions."

"There really is nothing hard or concrete to report," spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters. "We don't know whether he's alive or dead."

But the fact that the Iraqi leader failed to appear on Iraqi state-run television after it said he would deliver a speech to the nation "raises interesting questions," said Fleischer.

Iraq's information minister showed up in Saddam's stead and read a statement he attributed to the Iraqi leader.

In it, Saddam called on Muslims around the world to wage holy war against the United States and Britain, after dozens more Iraqi civilians were reported killed by coalition air attacks.

Fleischer dismissed the speech as "nothing new" and said it amounted to the rhetoric of "a regime that is losing its grip on power."

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