U.S. autopsies: Hussein brothers each shot more than 20 times; faces reconstructed for viewing

AP | 7/25/03 | MATT MOORE

[kattracks]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The U.S. military showed reporters the bodies of Odai and Qusai Hussein on Friday and said each body contained more than 20 bullet wounds. The faces had been partly reconstructed to appear as lifelike as possible.

The display of the bodies, seen by an Associated Press reporter, came after still photographs released Thursday failed to convince many Iraqi civilians the brothers were really dead.

Odai's beard had been trimmed to the length he had worn it in life. Qusai's beard was shaved off and he had only a mustache -- his trademark. The faces appeared waxy and heavily made up.

Morticians removed a large gash that had cut across the middle of Odai's face. Odai's abdomen had been riddled with bullets, and the torsos of both brothers bore large Y-shaped incisions.

Autopsy incisions were also visible on Odai's left leg, where doctors removed an 8-inch long bar that had been inserted after a 1996 assassination attempt. A piece of leg bone taken out with the bar was wrapped in plastic and lying next to his body on the gurney.

Each brother also had multiple scrapes, abrasions and burns. Odai was believed to have died from a head injury caused by a blunt object. Qusai had two bullet wounds to his head, in and just behind his right ear, doctors and medical officials said. They said they did not think the wounds were self-inflicted.

U.S. officials who handled the corpses said the brothers were made to look as lifelike as possible, a standard military procedure for all bodies.

But the reconstruction was significant because of the doubt about the still photographs, in which the brothers' faces were obscured by heavy beards, blood and gashes.

Surgeons who showed reporters the metal rod they removed from Odai's leg said the serial and model number matched data they had about it. They also displayed dental X-rays.

Odai, 39, and Qusai, 37, were killed Tuesday in a gunbattle with U.S. troops, who raided a villa in the northern city of Mosul, directed there by an Iraqi tipster.

The U.S. military had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the capture or death of the brothers -- two of the most feared men in Iraq and Nos. 2 and 3 on the American list of most-wanted Iraqis.

Saddam's sons responded to U.S. soldiers' demand to surrender with a hail of gunfire, so there was no way they could have been captured alive, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday in Washington.

Some Iraqis say they would have preferred that the sons were captured and put on trial, but Rumsfeld said there was no reason to second-guess the actions of the 101st Airborne Division troops who carried out the quick-reaction mission in Mosul.

"Given the amount of gunfire that came from that building ... it is I think obvious that there was no chance of taking them alive," the defense secretary said.

U.S. officials said the bodies would be stored in a refrigerated tent at Baghdad International Airport until a family member came forward to claim them.

The U.S. civil administration in Iraq was talking to the country's Governing Council about how to preserve the bodies according to Islamic custom, which calls for burial as soon as possible. Usually, Muslims are buried before nightfall the day they die.

U.S. medical personnel said they treated the bodies with the same respect they would accord any corpse.

A final report on the brothers' deaths was expected within six weeks, the American officials said on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. military has said a third man, believed to have been a bodyguard, also was killed by TOW missiles fired into the villa in Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq and home to many of Saddam's Baath Party loyalists.

A fourth person in the house, believed to be Qusai's teenage son Mustafa, was shot to death when troops stormed the house.

The photographs released Thursday were widely viewed on television around the world, including in Iraq. Among the complaints was that the photographs did not show the sons' full bodies.

Most papers in the capital, Baghdad, did not publish Friday, a traditional day of prayer and rest in the country. The Al Ray Al-Am ran a story about the pictures, but did not show them, opting instead to show an older color photo of Odai, the eldest son, wearing an Arab headdress, his faced crossed out with a red "X."

The photos seemed to have had little effect on Iraqi opinion.

"This is a U.S. ploy to try to break the spirit of the resistance," said Jassim al-Robai, a computer engineer, who said the photographs did not convince him the brothers were killed.

Two U.S. military photos showed a man identified as Qusai with bruises and blood spots around his eyes. That face was far more intact than the other, identified as Odai.

The face of what appeared to be Odai was severely bloodied. A gash ran from his left eye to the right corner of his mouth, and bruises and blood covered his forehead.

Both men were heavily bearded, which left some Iraqis speculating that they may have been trying to mask their identities. They had been on the run since the regime collapsed April 9.

Britain's top representative in the country, John Sawers, told British Broadcasting Corp. radio Friday that the killings dealt a blow to any hopes of Saddam sympathizers that his Baathist regime could return.

The deaths of Odai and Qusai "have been hugely celebrated here. This is a day of celebration for Iraq," Sawers said.

L. Paul Bremer, the top civilian administrator of Iraq, told NBC's "Today" that the brothers' deaths may help American forces capture their father.

"I think the noose is certainly tightening," Bremer said. "His support circle has to be getting tighter around him."

Bremer also said the United States would continue its efforts to reconstruct Iraq, even if it has to bear most of the burden.

"When Americans undertake a great and noble cause -- and that's what this is -- they see it through. And we're going to see this through," Bremer said.

[Drew68]

Anyone know where the pics can be found. I would sure enjoy looking at them.

[finnman69]

they are all linked in this thread

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/952462/posts?page=55#55

[hoosiermama]

www.foxnews.com

[Drew68]

Muchos gracias.

[kattracks]

[MotleyGirl70]

U.S. autopsies: Hussein brothers each shot more than 20 times;

ONLY 20

[harpseal]

It will become important for the USA to release the autopsy photos without any cosmetic work in order to counter teh inevitable deception propaganda that has already started.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

>>"U.S. autopsies: Hussein brothers each shot more than 20 times;"

An autopsie!?! There is some doubt about what killed them?

[samuel_adams_us]

I am happy they are no longer but viewing the morbid photos suggests that we, the citizens of this country, have sunk to their level of savagery and that is not something I would like to do.

[boxerblues]

www.foxnews.com has the video up

[boxerblues]

They show a lot worse in the movies

[sirshackleton]

I don't think we've sunk to their level of savagery, but I have some doubts about whether it was a positive move to show the photos. I do see why it was necessary, though, and frankly I don't think these two thugs deserve any kind of decency in terms of the treatment of their well-deserved demise.

[samuel_adams_us]

But they aren't real in the movies are they? Are we desensitized to the point that life and death have no sacred meaning?

[MotleyGirl70]

No kidding!

[No.6]

That's silly. I have Time/Life books of WW2O that have photos much more graphic than these photos; Japanese who had committed suicide in caves rather than be captured, or who got caught in a flamethrower blast, Americans face-down in South Pacific sand.

Nobody thought twice about publishing those. It's only a modern myth that truth about war is barbaric.

[samuel_adams_us]

Guess that makes it alright eh? I myself find it sick.

[Cicero]

Typical AP article. They quote one Iraqi who says that this will have no effect on public opinion and he doesn't believe it's the Saddam brothers.

Then we have this: "The deaths of Odai and Qusai 'have been hugely celebrated here. This is a day of celebration for Iraq,' Sawers said."

Well, were they hugely celebrated? Did AP notice? Why do they have to quote somebody's second-hand opinion? Or is this writer maybe not in Iraq at all? As we know from recent NY Times and Reuters practice, the byline means nothing.

[Drew68]

but viewing the morbid photos suggests that we, the citizens of this country, have sunk to their level of savagery

Sorry, but I have to disagree.

Showing the corpses of our vanquished foes does not even come close to the level of savagery committed by these two individuals.

Furthermore, I have no desire to be a part of some kind of "kindler, gentler sensitive" America. I prefer the America that kicks ass and celebrates the violent, painful deaths of our enemies.

The only thing I'm sorry about is that they cleaned up their bodies. I'd rather seen their bloody heads paraded about town on pikes.

[sinkspur]

They show a lot worse in the movies

I had an embalmer's license in college, and one can see a lot worse from car accidents and self-inflicted gun shot wounds (especially shot guns).

Cleaned up, these boys could have an open casket. Good work by the military morticians.

[boxerblues]

In a way yes. Look at the movies and the video games some of the kids play, they have no concept of what death really means.

There was a time when I would not look at something like this even in the movies let alone in a funeral home, but I have to admit I was drawn to look this time,I have no feelings for these 2 one way or the other.

I dont think I could look at a loved one the same way without feeling sick.

[boxerblues]

I dont have the stomach for that. Both my brothers were paramedics, my sisters a nurse, me I hate the sight of blood

[drjimmy]

From the article: U.S. officials said the bodies would be stored in a refrigerated tent at Baghdad International Airport until a family member came forward to claim them.
Yoo hoo! Saddam! Come get your boys!

[skeeter]

They look so natural - just like they're sleeping.

Have a nice warm eternity, boys.

[Theophilus]

(Judge)
But we've got to verify it legally
To see...

(Mayor)
To see...

(Judge)
If he...

(Mayor)
If he...

(Judge)
Is morally, ethically

(Munchkin 1)
Spiritually, physically

(Munchkin 2)
Positively, absolutely

(Munchkin Men)
Undeniably and reliably dead

(Coroner)
As Coroner , I thoroughly examined him
And he's not only merely dead
He's really most sincerely dead

[hook2]

I agree. I have seen worse pictures than this on MTV.

[tbpiper]

suggests that we, the citizens of this country, have sunk to their level of savagery

I disagree. In this case, for the Iraqi people, the bodies have to be shown. It would be savage to show the bodies as general threat to the Iraqi peoople which is why Saddam used capricious public executions.

[boxerblues]

thanks now Im going to be thapping my neck and singing that stupid song all afternoon

[Weimdog]

This is picture business is the biggest war-time boondoggle ever.

Our forces should have just handed the bodies over to the Iraqis to let them do with them what they will (ie: Chauchesku).

[GrandMoM]

the bodies would be stored in a refrigerated tent at Baghdad International Airport until a family member came forward to claim them. ....do you actually think they would give these bodies up?

Sure, they would love their father to come a get them, (when pigs fly) but, what if their mother or sisters claimed them, would they give them up?????

To bad AMERICA is so PC, they be hung in the town square!!!!!!

[Chewbacca]

"That's silly. I have Time/Life books of WW2O that have photos much more graphic than these photos; Japanese who had committed suicide in caves rather than be captured, or who got caught in a flamethrower blast, Americans face-down in South Pacific sand.

Nobody thought twice about publishing those. It's only a modern myth that truth about war is barbaric. "


I have seen worse looking photos taken during the US Civil War, WWII concentration camp photos, and photos from Vietnam and Korea. These are relatively tame in comparison.

[ffusco]

I prefer the America that kicks ass and celebrates the violent, painful deaths of our enemies.


*Clapping* Author! Author!

[gedeon3]

Hmm... sounds to me like there were more than four dogs in that house, and the ones that escaped (via tunnel maybe), took out the hussein dogs, to make sure they would never be interrogated. They had first hand knowledge of the russian, french, syrian, chinese and german connections with their father; as well as with the plo and alqueda.

[SlightOfTongue]

U.S. autopsies: Hussein brothers each shot more than 20 times

I'm dissappointed to say the least. They got off too easy.

[drjoe]

"(Coroner)
As Coroner , I thoroughly examined him
And he's not only merely dead
He's really most sincerely dead "

Let's be accurate here folks:

(Coroner)
As Coroner ,I must aver,
I thoroughly examined him
[her, actually, but poetic liscence interposes]
And he's not only merely dead
He's really most sincerely dead

let's not forget the avering.

[No.6]

Sometimes hard things need doing. One of the differences between conservatives and liberals is that we'll actually get up and do what needs doing and not make excuses.

The world, but especially the Iraqis, need to know that this is not 1991. There will be no return for the Baathists; they can work for freedom and not worry that next month their sons will be having drills applied to their kneecaps and their daughters will not be raped in dungeons.

[rageaholic]

I'm here on my lunch break eating a roast beef sandwhich and checkin out the pics of Uday and Jimjay's mutliated smashed corpses, and enjoyin' it.

Feelin pretty good about the taxes I paid this year, seeing how some of the goods were delivered.

Sucks when that TOW missile comes through your bathroom wall and smashes your head with chunks of exploded toilet bowl

[Theophilus]

Good point! We should all thoroughly and sincerely aver for that noblest of little (dare I say, Munchkin) words: "aver". Ding Dong!!!

[Lucky2]

After what these two creeps did to those they tortured, I'd say their deaths were easy. The only way the people of Iraq are going to feel comfortable again in their own country is to see the guys in death. We could have done what the Italians did to Mussolini and hung them from meat hooks in the city square and that we should to to Saddam.

[John Frum]

You forgot to mention it sucks even more when it happens multiple times (supposedly 10 TOW missiles). After the first 200 miles per hour, velocity-wise, any toilet chunks smashing your head will do about the same amount of damage (i.e. kill).