BAGHDAD,
April (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Iraqi President Saddam
Hussein was unexpectedly seen live on Iraqi TV Friday, April 4, touring
the main square of the al-Mansour residential neighborhood of Baghdad
and several other areas which were bombed by Anglo-American warplanes.
Saddam,
escorted by few security guards, was heartedly welcomed by hundreds of
Iraqi citizens who pledged to die defending him and the country against
the U.S. and British invading.
Smiling
broadly, the Iraqi leader was cheered by the jubilant crowd, which
chanted "With our blood and our souls, we shall redeem you"
and "Bush, Bush, listen well, we all love Saddam
Hussein."
This
is the first footage of the Iraqi leader in public aired since the
unleashing of the war on March 20.
This
came few hours after Saddam called on the people of Baghdad, many of
whom are without water, power or telephones, to resist the invaders
gearing up to jump on the Iraqi capital.
Saddam
surfaced on Iraqi television in the early evening urging Iraqis to fight
"with the power of the faith."
"Hit
them with the power of faith wherever they come near you, and resist, oh
brave inhabitants of Baghdad," said Saddam, who was dressed in
olive green military garb and read solemnly from a prepared text.
"God
willing, you will be victorious and they will be defeated," he
assured.
 |
|
Saddam
was welcomed by Iraqi citizens
|
The
address came hours after U.S. troops allegedly claimed control of
Baghdad's Saddam International Airport just 20 kilometers (12 miles)
from the city center.
Heavy
artillery, gunfire and air raids continued to be heard at midday coming
from the airport, while gunfire echoed through central Baghdad in the
early evening.
In
the early evening electricity came back on in parts of central Baghdad,
where life had a semblance of normality, with cars and public buses on
the streets along with armed security and police forces.
Shops
on main avenues were closed, but groceries and some restaurants were
open as usual with clients gathering around small radio sets to listen
to the latest news on foreign radio stations.
State
television, the sole channel for most Iraqis, has this week come under
continual missile attack but was still broadcasting Friday.
Telephones
have been cut since a series of telecommunication centers were hit by
U.S. and British strikes.
A
lack of generators and water has prevented the opening of many bakeries
and gas stations, with just a few of them offering gas to long queues of
cars.
Click
to watch the video: 1
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