Saddam seen with his son Qusay

News Agencies) – Abu Dhabi TV channel broadcast Friday, April 18, a footage showing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Al-A’zamiya residential neighborhood in Baghdad on April 9, the same day U.S. tanks rolled into the Iraqi capital.

Saddam toured the streets escorted by his son Qusay, his defense minister, his personal secretary and a host of security guards.

He was greeted by scores of Iraqi people who gathered around him chanting “With Our Souls…With Our Blood…We defend Saddam.”

Commenting on the footage, Abu Dhabi correspondent in Baghdad asserted that the Al-A’zamiya neighborhood was not very far from the areas captured by the American forces in central Baghdad the same day.

He asserted Saddam’s appearance was a calculated risk.

The correspondent stressed that the footage verifies earlier reports by eyewitnesses that Saddam had performed prayers at a mosque in Al-A’zamiya, which people thought to be a mere rumor.

The Arabic channel also broadcast a recorded voice message of Saddam which it said was recorded on April 9 but never aired.

In his audio message, Saddam underlined that no matter who long the conflict will drag, the victory at the end would be for Iraq and the Iraqi people.

Saddam used the word “occupation” which means he knew U.S. forces had already been inside Baghdad, said the correspondent.

The Iraqi leader exhorted his people to fight the occupation forces and never to surrender their arms.

On Thursday, April 17, Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted eyewitnesses in Al-Aizamiya neighborhood as saying that Saddam had performed the prayers with them at Abu Hanifa mosque.

Sitting in the shadow of the Abu Hanifa mosque, the old men of Baghdad's Al-A’zamiya neighborhood recalled that a day before his mysterious disappearance Saddam came here to pray and declared, "I have been betrayed."

"Saddam came to talk with us, to greet us and to pray," said Rasheed al-Obydey, a professor at the Islamic university who is in his 70s.

Several hours later, the U.S. military was out in full force around the mosque.

Some say it was because of the presence of the Iraqi leader, others say the troops came because the mosque hosted dozens of fighters who were desperately trying to thwart the U.S. advance.

Whatever the reason, the scars of the battle still show.

The minaret is nearly cracked in two, the mosaic facade bears the impact of numerous mortar rounds and the windows have been shattered.

Inside there are several craters, possibly the work of attack helicopters.

A day later, the United States launched an air strike on the residential Al-Mansur area, where the Americans believed Saddam was dining with his two sons.

At least 14 civilians were killed in the attack, which destroyed four houses.

Outside Abu Hanifa mosque, Rasheed is joined by two of his lifelong friends, Yasser and Adel, both dressed in full white as they waited for midday prayers.

They remembered a time when they could walk the streets in peace. Now, U.S. troops patrol the neighborhood.

"We've had many wars and revolts followed by repression. We know that the people of Iraq, children of a civilization dating back thousands of years, are sufficiently capable of solving their own problems," Yasser said.

"We've shown this for the past week when we lived without any authority, government or security and had to move forward," Adel added.

They charged that the U.S. occupation forces are only interested in oil and in helping Israel, of which Saddam's regime was one of the most vociferous foes.

The three old friends said that if they were again young, they would have taken up arms against the U.S. "occupation," alongside the volunteers from Arab and Islamic countries who have been buried in the mosque's courtyard.

"Now it no longer matters to know whether one defended Saddam or not, because he's been deposed. What's important to know is whether one swears to take up arms to free my country from occupation," said Rasheed.

"France rebelled against Hitler with a resistance now lauded in history. This is the same. The Iraqis are occupied by a more powerful country so we have motivation to defend ourselves," said Adel.  

• click to watch Saddam