Did U.S. Miss Saddam Surrender Deal?
B A G H D A D, Iraq, April 21 -- Saddam Hussein's intelligence chief sought help last week to arrange some kind of a deal between the United States and Saddam, leaders of the prominent Iraqi Dulaym Tribe told ABCNEWS.
The tribe made contact with, among others, Bob Baer, a former CIA officer with whom they had worked secretly in the past.
"They told me the chief of Iraqi intelligence was seeking to get in touch with the United States and could I do anything about that," said Baer, who is now an ABCNEWS consultant.
On April 11, Saddam's intelligence chief, Gen. Taher Haboush, showed up at the home of the Dulaym Tribe's chief near the town of Ar-Ramadi, purportedly on behalf of Saddam, to work out arrangements for a meeting. But shortly after he arrived, tribal leaders said U.S. forces bombed the home, killing the chief.
In addition to the chief, 17 members of his immediate family were also killed in what tribe members call a botched surrender effort.
"We don't know who to trust," said Abdullah Hamid, the leader of the Dulaym Tribe. "We don't trust them anymore."
Satellite Phone Was Key
Tribe members suspect it was a Thuraya satellite phone, used by the general and their chief, which led to the attack.
Because the phones give off precise location coordinates, U.S. forces have been tracking top regime members through the use of their Thuraya phones.
"There must have been somebody in the house using a Thuraya," said Baer, discussing the incident with members of the tribe.
And according to Fahad Kaharbit, a nephew of the dead chief, they all use Thuraya phones in this area.
"The problem is they mentioned a name on the list," said Baer.
Kaharbit said the tribe was trying to help the United States. "We tried to get them and us a big favor by surrendering the president himself," he said.
Tribe members say Saddam's intermediary, Haboush, got away and it's not known whether U.S. officials were aware of what he was trying to arrange.
They believe Saddam was nearby when he sent his intelligence chief forward to try to make a deal. Tribe members said they have no idea where Saddam is now.
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