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U.S. Says Saddam Family Took $1 Billion from Bank
Tue May 6, 2003 01:53 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his family took about $1 billion from the Iraqi central bank shortly before the start of the U.S. invasion, the State Department said on Tuesday.
Spokesman Richard Boucher said U.S. Treasury Department officials in Baghdad had reported the withdrawal to Washington and the United States was trying to hunt down the money.
"We do know from Treasury Department officials in Baghdad that approximately one billion dollars was taken from the Iraqi central bank by Saddam and his family just prior to the start of combat," Boucher told reporters.
The New York Times first reported the massive cash withdrawal. It said Saddam's son Qusay and a close associate took $900 million in American bills and $100 million worth of euros in three tractor trailers.
Boucher said the United States did not know where the money had gone but he noted that U.S. troops had found stacks of dollar bills in various locations in Iraq, including about $600 million in Saddam Hussein's palaces, and $100 million and 90 million euros (about $100 million) in an armored vehicle.
"We are working to hunt down the assets that were stolen by the regime of Saddam Hussein. We'll actively follow up on all the leads. All these assets are the property of the Iraqi people and should be returned to them," he said.
"We'll continue to encourage other governments to take appropriate measures if any of these assets show up anywhere, to track down and freeze the ill-gotten gains of Saddam Hussein and his family," he added.
The New York Times cited an Iraqi official for its report and said that Saddam himself had signed the withdrawal order.
Qusay, the deposed leader's second son, and one of the president's personal assistants, Abid al-Hamid Mahmood, carried a letter from Saddam authorizing the transaction, it said.
"When you get an order from Saddam Hussein, you do not discuss it," an unidentified Iraqi official who held a senior position in a bank told the Times. The official was told about the removal of the cash by the people who turned it over to Qusay and the adviser, the newspaper reported.
The Times said Iraqi officials were uncertain what effect the disappearance of the cash -- about one quarter of the central bank's hard currency reserves -- would have on the Iraqi economy.
Some Americans suspect the money, reportedly stolen at 4 a.m. on March 18, went to Syria, the newspaper said.
Col. Ted Seel, a U.S. Army special forces officer, said he was aware of the seizure of cash, the newspaper reported. He said there was intelligence information at the time that suggested tractor trailers were crossing into Syria from Iraq.
Saddam and his two sons have not been seen in public since the war began. The ousted Iraqi leader made a number of television appearances during the war, but it was not possible to verify when they were recorded.
Tue May 6, 2003 01:53 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his family took about $1 billion from the Iraqi central bank shortly before the start of the U.S. invasion, the State Department said on Tuesday.
Spokesman Richard Boucher said U.S. Treasury Department officials in Baghdad had reported the withdrawal to Washington and the United States was trying to hunt down the money.
"We do know from Treasury Department officials in Baghdad that approximately one billion dollars was taken from the Iraqi central bank by Saddam and his family just prior to the start of combat," Boucher told reporters.
The New York Times first reported the massive cash withdrawal. It said Saddam's son Qusay and a close associate took $900 million in American bills and $100 million worth of euros in three tractor trailers.
Boucher said the United States did not know where the money had gone but he noted that U.S. troops had found stacks of dollar bills in various locations in Iraq, including about $600 million in Saddam Hussein's palaces, and $100 million and 90 million euros (about $100 million) in an armored vehicle.
"We are working to hunt down the assets that were stolen by the regime of Saddam Hussein. We'll actively follow up on all the leads. All these assets are the property of the Iraqi people and should be returned to them," he said.
"We'll continue to encourage other governments to take appropriate measures if any of these assets show up anywhere, to track down and freeze the ill-gotten gains of Saddam Hussein and his family," he added.
The New York Times cited an Iraqi official for its report and said that Saddam himself had signed the withdrawal order.
Qusay, the deposed leader's second son, and one of the president's personal assistants, Abid al-Hamid Mahmood, carried a letter from Saddam authorizing the transaction, it said.
"When you get an order from Saddam Hussein, you do not discuss it," an unidentified Iraqi official who held a senior position in a bank told the Times. The official was told about the removal of the cash by the people who turned it over to Qusay and the adviser, the newspaper reported.
The Times said Iraqi officials were uncertain what effect the disappearance of the cash -- about one quarter of the central bank's hard currency reserves -- would have on the Iraqi economy.
Some Americans suspect the money, reportedly stolen at 4 a.m. on March 18, went to Syria, the newspaper said.
Col. Ted Seel, a U.S. Army special forces officer, said he was aware of the seizure of cash, the newspaper reported. He said there was intelligence information at the time that suggested tractor trailers were crossing into Syria from Iraq.
Saddam and his two sons have not been seen in public since the war began. The ousted Iraqi leader made a number of television appearances during the war, but it was not possible to verify when they were recorded.
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