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Saddam sends defiant message
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A man who appeared to be Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was shown walking through the streets of Baghdad in the midst of a cheering crowd in videotape aired Friday. The broadcast by Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. marked the second time Friday that footage had been shown of Saddam. Earlier, in another prerecorded appearance on Iraqi television, Saddam urged his followers to fight the U.S.-led invasion "with what you have available." (Full story) All Saddam's television appearances since the war began have been prerecorded, but in the Iraqi television tape, he referred to the alleged shooting down of a U.S. Apache helicopter by an Iraqi villager. U.S. military officials deny it ever happened, but the allegations surfaced after March 20 -- the day of the war's first strike, which U.S. officials said targeted Saddam. Top U.S. officials have repeatedly questioned whether he survived the raid. U.S. experts plan to analyze that tape, but it "doesn't matter" whether the video was genuine, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Friday. "Whether it is him or whether it isn't him, the regime's days are numbered and coming to an end," Fleischer said. In Saddam's most recent television appearance, some members of the throng that surrounded him held rifles aloft as Saddam worked his way through the crowd, smiling broadly. A man walking next to him appeared to be Abid Hamoud, Saddam's press secretary. In one shot, what appears to be a column of smoke can be seen and from time to time a large volume of automobile traffic is visible. It is not known when that footage might have been taped, but it appears to have been shot on the western outskirts of the capital, close to the Jordanian Embassy. Though it was prerecorded, the tape was touted as "live" coverage. Earlier, Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf said U.S. forces will face "something that is not conventional" Friday night, but pledged Iraq would not use weapons of mass destruction against advancing coalition troops. (Full story) Al-Sahaf threatened "martyrdom," however. The comments came after coalition forces seized Baghdad's Saddam International airport and U.S. officials said about 2,500 elite Iraqi troops had laid down their arms and surrendered to Marines. Some of Iraq's Republican Guard militia forces were gathering close to the airport Friday night, a source in the city told CNN's Nic Robertson. While coalition forces say they have secured the airport, about 12 miles southwest of downtown Baghdad, the area surrounding the airport has been a site of fighting between U.S-led coalition troops and Iraqi forces throughout the day. U.S. officials said the airport, which has been shut down throughout the war, could soon be up and running -- perhaps within a day. The source in Baghdad also told Robertson that electricity has been restored to parts of Baghdad. Parts of western and northern Baghdad appear to once again have power, the source said. In other developments • New explosions shook the Iraqi capital and anti-aircraft fire was visible over the city about 10:20 p.m. Friday (1820 GMT). • U.S. President George W. Bush will meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair next week in Northern Ireland to discuss the war in Iraq and peace efforts in the Middle East and Northern Ireland, the White House said Friday. (Full story) • A car bomb attack at a coalition checkpoint in western Iraq killed at least five people -- including three coalition forces -- U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar, said. (Full Story) • U.S. Central Command said reports of the discovery of boxes of unidentified powder, liquid and other materials at an industrial site near Baghdad was "an item of interest." • Northern town of Khazar fell to Kurdish forces backed by U.S. bombing strikes Friday. (Full Story) • Bombing was heard from the direction of Mosul for three hours early Friday, and was heavy at times, CNN crews reported from near the northern Iraqi city. • Pentagon officials suggest coalition forces might try to isolate Baghdad rather than commit troops to street fighting. (Full story) • U.S. Marines were guarding a major highway south of Baghdad early Friday to keep the route open for the transport of ammunition, food and other war supplies. • An Iraqi man who helped U.S. Marines plan the rescue of the 19-year-old American prisoner of war, Jessica Lynch, has been granted refugee status and described by the Marines as a "hero." (Full story) • A senior Pentagon official said the U.S. might try to install a new Iraqi government before the war is over -- perhaps as early as next week. (Full story) • The World Health Organization said Friday that injuries suffered as a direct result of the conflict in Iraq are currently the top public health problem in that nation. EDITOR'S NOTE: CNN's policy is to not report information that puts operational security at risk.
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