U.S. releases altered Saddam pictures
From Barbara Starr
CNN
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Shown here is one of the five altered photos of what Saddam Hussein might look like after nearly four months on the run.
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The U.S. released digitally altered pictures of Saddam Hussein that coalition forces are using to track him down. CNN's Barbara Starr reports. (August 1)
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States released digitally altered pictures of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on Friday that coalition forces are using in their efforts to track him down.
The U.S. military images -- which were posted on the U.S. Central Command Web site Friday -- show five versions of Saddam. One shows him with his dyed black hair and a full beard; another wearing a salt-and-pepper beard and a white headdress with black bands; two poses show him with what would probably be his natural hair color -- gray -- and a mustache; and another shows him with gray hair and no mustache.
Another set of images of the former Iraqi leader is being distributed only to members of Task Force 20 -- the elite military group charged with finding Saddam.
Those images, which have not been released to the public, are CIA-generated artist sketches that depict a more haggard Saddam. One shows him with long hair, and others show him with and without his trademark mustache.
U.S. officials said the military's enhanced photographs, as well as the CIA sketches, were developed as a result of several reported sightings of Saddam by Iraqis, some of whom are said to have described him as having long hair and a beard.
U.S. officials say that even if those sightings were legitimate, the former Iraqi leader might have again altered his appearance.
In another effort to find the ousted Iraqi leader, the U.S. State Department's "Rewards for Justice" program is planning to distribute matchbooks with Saddam's picture on them and a reminder of the $25 million price on his head. "Mock-ups" of the matchbooks are expected to be ready within the next several days, a State Department official said.
