The 12 remaining fugitives from the U.S. coalition’s list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqis now have a million more reasons to worry.
The U.S.-led administration is putting a $1 million bounty on each of Saddam’s 12 remaining henchmen, officials said yesterday.
“Now that we’ve captured Saddam Hussein, we want to capitalize on this to clear up the last remnants of the former regime,” said Charles Heatly, a spokesman for top U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer.
There is already a $10 million bounty for information leading to the capture or death of the 13th remaining fugitive – Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a senior official in the former regime and a Saddam Hussein confidant who now is the most wanted man in the country.
Word of the bounties came as Iraqi insurgents launched a blistering coordinated attack with deadly results yesterday – killing six coalition troops and injuring nearly 200 soldiers and civilians.
Four Bulgarian soldiers and two Thai army engineers were among the dead after guerillas dispatched four car bombs and scores of mortars and grenades in the attacks on Karbala – a Southern city populated mostly by Shiite Muslims.
The targets were two foreign military bases, City Hall, and Karbala University, according to witnesses.
Six Iraqi policemen were also killed in the strikes – which could have been far worse according to Polish General Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, head of the multi-national force in the region.
“In all cases, the suicide drivers were shot dead before they could strike their targets,” Tyszkiewicz said. “It was a coordinated, massive attack planned on a big scale and intended to do much harm.”
Five Americans were among the 37 wounded coalition soldiers, said Baghdad-based U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt.
Five additional U.S. troops Air Force were injured when an American convoy hit a “daisy chain” of two homemade roadside bombs in Baghdad.
Still, Kimmitt insisted attacks were on the decline, going down from about 50 a day in mid-September to an average of about 15 a day.
Back in Karbala, Iraqis said a fuel truck tried to smash into one of the military bases before bursting into flames.
“We were having lunch … when an explosion shook the place. The kids playing outside were hurt, some were killed,” said Ali Abdul Zahra, whose 15-year-old nephew and his nephew’s friend were killed in the blast.
“The fuel truck didn’t manage to penetrate the base, it exploded at the entrance.”
Locals immediately accused Saddam Hussein’s loyalists of being behind the destruction.
“I accuse Baathists and Saddam’s supporters of conducting this operation,” said Mohamed Jassim, who was about to enter the governor’s office when an explosion from one of the car bombs knocked him off the floor.
“Only they can do such criminal acts, targeting civilians,” continued the 50-year-old Iraqi.
WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a senior official in the former regime and a Saddam Hussein confidant, has a $10 million bounty on his head. He is now the most wanted man in Iraq.
In addition, the U.S.-led administration is putting bounties of $1 million each on the heads of 12 remaining fugitives from the coalition’s list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqis.
The administration is also offering smaller rewards – from $2,500 to $250,000 – for help capturing other suspected guerrilla leaders.
The new $1 million bounties are on the heads of:
* No. 7: Hani Abd al-Latif Tilfah al-Tikriti, senior security official now involved in the insurgent attacks.
* No. 14: Sayf al-Din Fulayyih Hasan Taha al-Rawi, Republican Guard chief of staff.
* No. 15: Rafi Abd al-Latif Tilfah al-Tikriti, director of general security.
* No. 16: Tahir Jalil Haboush, chief of Iraqi intelligence service.
* No. 21: Rukan Razuki Abd al-Ghafar Sulayman al-Majid al-Tikriti, head of tribal affairs office.
* No. 36: Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan, presidential adviser, Saddam’s half-brother.
* No. 40: Abdel Baqi Abdel Karim Abdallah al-Sadun, Ba’ath Party regional command chairman.
* No. 41: Mohammed Zimam Abdul Razaq, Ba’ath Party regional command chairman.
* No. 44: Yahya Abdellah al-Aboudi, Ba’ath Party regional command chairman.
* No. 48: Muhsin Khadr al-Khafaji, Ba’ath Party regional command chairman.
* No. 49: Rashid Taan Kazim, Ba’ath Party regional chairman.
* No. 54: Khamis Sirhan al-Muhammad, Ba’ath Party regional command chairman, militia commander.