Man Gets $30 Million for Saddam Sons Tip
M O S U L, Iraq, July 31 -- A $30 million reward has been granted to the Iraqi who tipped off U.S. authorities that Saddam Hussein's sons Odai and Qusai were hiding in his villa in northern Iraq.
Sheik Nawaf al-Zaydan Muhhamad, a regional tribal leader, got the full reward offered by the Pentagon — $15 million for each brother.
The Interagency Reward Committee voted this morning to approve the Pentagon's request for the reward. There is also a $25 million reward leading to the killing or capture of Saddam himself.
Odai and Qusai Hussein and two other Iraqis were killed July 22 in a firefight with U.S. troops at Muhhamad's home in Mosul. What's left of the house is being guarded by U.S. troops.
"We do sincerely appreciate the effort that this individual made and the risk that he took," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said today.
Within 24 hours of the shootout, Zaydan and his family were moved to an undisclosed country for their protection, a U.S. official told ABCNEWS.
A neighbor, Ali Homamed al Djajani, described Muhhamad as a social climber.
"He used to pretend that he was part of the Saddam clan," he told ABCNEWS. "But then he used to stop me on the street and tell me what an awful person Saddam was. I don't understand why he would have agreed to allow Saddam's sons to stay in his house in the first place."
$25 Million Dangling on a Hook
U.S. officials say that since Saddam's sons were killed, many more Iraqis have come forward with tips on the whereabouts of Saddam himself. Knowing that the United States pays big and fast is vital in encouraging more Iraqis to provide vital information.
"Giving that money to that individual, and publicizing that way to the Iraqi people, will likely have a possible effect," said U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Richardson. "So they can see that we're living up to what we promised."
Mosul resident Ali Al-Jibouri told ABCNEWS there are people who would give up Saddam for the money, but most Iraqis ABCNEWS spoke with said that turning people in for money is unethical.
