“We, and a number of comrades are still in Iraq and among Iraqis, but making our voice heard is difficult,” said Saddam

BAGHDAD, July 4 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – A day after the U.S. put up 25 million dollars for information leading to his arrest, ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said in an audiotape he was still inside Iraq and that "Jihad cells" had already been formed "on large scale" across the country to resist the occupation, although reports on the ground indicate absolutely no link between resistance operations and the ousted regime.

"We, and a number of comrades are still in Iraq and among Iraqis, but making our voice heard is difficult" Saddam told the Iraqi people in the tape, which he dated June 14, and aired by Al-Jazeera TV channel Friday, July 4.

"I tell you that I miss you, miss you, oh beloved people, even though I am among you and in your ranks," he said, after opening his words with a verse from the holly Quran.

Saddam told Iraqis that he had decided to confront the United States even if it meant losing power.

"I told you before the war...we will not anger Allah by giving in to U.S. threats and allow them to impose what they want, and to rule Iraq without any battle and humiliate it in return for preserving our rule," he said.

"We remained faithful to our pledges. We sacrificed power, but we would never compromise on our principles," he stressed, using, as usual, plural pronouns.

The U.S. forces rolled into Baghdad on April 9 to no fight and with all members of the regime, including Saddam and his family, vanishing.

“Jihad Cells”

Warning the U.S. forces of more bloodshed to come, Saddam urged Iraqis to give support to resistance against the Anglo-American occupation.

"Oh brothers and sisters, we relay to you good news: Jihad cells and brigades have been formed on large scale.

"We urge you to protect the heroic resistance fighters and not to give the infidel invaders or their aides any information or help about their operations," Saddam said.

He added that the cells, grouping male and female "Mujahedeen" inflicted heavy fatalities on the occupation forces.

"Hence I salute them and salute you (the Iraqi people) and salute the Mujahedeen (Islamic fighters) in Baghdad, in the battlefields, and I pay tribute to their steadfastness, jihad and sacrifices," Saddam said.

"The declared number of fatalities inflicted on the U.S. forces is by fewer than what already happened on the ground, " he asserted.

However, IslamOnline.net chief correspondent in Iraq reported that the mounting resistance attacks against the American forces seemed in no way linked to Saddam.

The major attacks are taking place in Al-Anbar governrate in the west of the capital Baghdad, where Saddam had few loyalists, he said.

In statements claiming responsibility for anti-occupation attacks, several Iraqi groups asserted they were motivated by their religious conviction of resisting foreign occupation and made no reference to Saddam of his ousted regime.

In his audiotape, Saddam again repudiated U.S. claims Iraq had biological, chemical and possibly nuclear weapons programs and was prepared to use them — a principal justification for the war.

"They aim to destroy Iraq, and what they called the weapons of mass destruction was nothing but a cover for their plans," he said.

"I ask the invaders, where are these weapons of mass destruction?"

The tape came as the attacks against the U.S. and British forces flared up since U.S. President George W. Bush declared an end to the offensive in May 1.

More than 68 soldiers were killed and others injured in the attacks, which Washington blamed on loyalists to Saddam.

There was no immediate way to confirm the tape's authenticity but those who know Saddam's voice said it sounded like his.

"I can assure you. It is his voice, " Rafiq Al-Samra’y, former Iraqi military intelligence, told al-Jazeera over the phone.

He argued that Saddam was taking shelter in an areas to the north of Baghdad.

The White House and the Pentagon made no immediate comment on the tape.

Anonymous

Al-Jazeera's chief editor Ibrahim Hilal told the BBC the tape was delivered to the station via telephone on Friday.

"Someone called us and played back the tape for us and we recorded it. It ran for over 20 minutes, but only 10 minutes are newsworthy," he said.

"We don't know the source, or where the call came from. We have no reason to doubt its authenticity," he said.