- December 14, 2003
=
December 14 ,2003 =*
Occupation of Iraq :
**Iraq 's Civil AdministratorL. Paul Bremer announces thatSaddam Hussein was captured by US forces. Saddam was found approximately 15 km south of his home town ofTikrit at 2030 local time onDecember 13 . Hussein was captured without resistance in a so-called "spider-hole " at a farmhouse in the town ofad-Dawr . He is in Coalition custody at an undisclosed location. At a press conference, Bremer presents video of Saddam in custody with a full beard, which is later shown removed. Bremer says that Saddam is in good health and is being "co-operative and talkative". He says that Saddam will "face justice" before an Iraqi court and under Iraqi law. [http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=FQJLXKS0VTLAWCRBAELCFEY?type=topNews&storyID=421992§ion=news] [http://www.kurdmedia.com/news.asp?id=4516] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3317429.stm] [http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/12/14/sprj.irq.main/]
**In an address to his nation, US presidentGeorge W. Bush comments on the capture of Saddam, "Now the former dictator of Iraq will face the justice he denied to millions." [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031214-014908-7612r.htm]
**British Prime MinisterTony Blair welcomes the capture of Saddam, urging the Iraqi people "to reach out and to reconcile." Other world leaders offer similar sentiments: Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov says that the arrest "will contribute to the strengthening of security in Iraq and to the process of political regulation in the country," while UN Secretary General Kofi Annan comments that Saddam's capture provides a chance "to give fresh impetus to the search for peace and stability in Iraq". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3319097.stm] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3317971.stm]
** Acar bomb explodes at a police station in Khaldiyah, 60 km west of Baghdad, killing at least 17 and wounding 30. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/3317245.stm]
*Pakistan i PresidentPervez Musharraf narrowly escapes a bombing. "The president's motorcade passed a minute before the blast", according to officials. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64187-2003Dec14.html]
* In an interview with "The Washington Post "newspaper , a 78-year-oldAfrican-American Los Angeles woman claims to be the illegitimate daughter of the late U.S. SenatorStrom Thurmond . [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60363-2003Dec12.html]
*The famous Italianopera houseLa Fenice inVenice reopens after being destroyed by fire in 1996. It was rebuilt at the cost of €90mn. [http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news.asp?contentID=215989]
*Jason White ,quarterback of theUniversity of Oklahoma Sooners, wins theHeisman Trophy , awarded to the best player in college football. [http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0aA—?slug=ap-heismantrophy&prov=ap&type=lgns]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.