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It is in the breaking news sidebar!
Posted on 04/12/2003 11:18:45 AM PDT by Prince Charles
SADDAM'S GOLDEN GIFTS
A collection of gold-plated guns given as gifts by Saddam Hussein have been uncovered by US troops in Baghdad.
They were found among thousands of light arms in a villa in an affluent suburb in the city believed to belong to one of Saddam's relatives.
The gold-plated assault rifles and sniper rifles carry inscriptions indicating they were gifts.
The discovery was witnessed by correspondents from the French news agency AFP.
"It is definitely a major discovery," said a US officer in the Al-Harithiya neighborhood.
The villa, belonging to an Iraqi national who lives abroad, was located near one of Saddam's main palaces.
"The discovery was made upon a tip," the officer said.
"We did not know they were related to Saddam Hussein until we got translation because we do not read Arabic."
The rifles carried the inscription: "A gift from the president of the republic, Mr Saddam Hussein."
The same inscription appeared on leather gun cases and wooden arms gift boxes.
The US officer said all the arms were brand new but some dated back to the early 1980s.
Some of the cases read: "Jordanian Armed Forces".
He said they discovered "over 500 large cases of 7.62 rifles, 30 cases of rocket-propelled grenades, 200 cases of 9mm pistols, 200 cases of Kalashnokov, 100 cases of sniper rifles, dozens of cases of grenades".
"We also found suspected bomb-making materials, arms gifts cases and over 100 military uniforms," he said.
More than eight rooms were filled up to the ceiling with arms cases.
Last Updated: 15:35 UK, Saturday April 12, 2003
My thought exactly. I'da disassembled on of those weapons and squirreled them away in my duffel.
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