Arraf: Tikrit captures 'another piece of the puzzle'
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CNN's Jane Arraf
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CNN's Jane Arraf on the capture of high-level Iraqis near Tikrit.
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SPECIAL REPORT
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TIKRIT, Iraq (CNN) -- Raids in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit captured the former chief of staff of the elite Republican Guard, U.S. officials said Tuesday. CNN Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf spoke to CNN's Wolf Blitzer from Tikrit.
ARRAF: Well, according to the commander of the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry, one of the units that led that raid that resulted in the capture, the bodyguard in fact, the man described originally as a bodyguard, is the former chief of staff of Saddam's elite Republican Guard.
The other person gathered up in this raid, which netted 14 people, is a former general. Now, officials here say he was not on the wanted list and the big question, of course, does this mean they're any closer to Saddam? Lt. Col. Steve Russell who was involved in the raid says that every little bit helps.
This sounded like a pretty dramatic raid, about 200 people believed to involve Special Forces and, despite that, there were no injuries. Russell says that they called out on a bull horn for people to come out of their homes and most of them did. He said there was no resistance -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Any indication, Jane, that they're getting any closer to Saddam Hussein? Is there a mood of upbeat assessment right now in the aftermath of this latest capture?
ARRAF: Not particularly more upbeat than they have been. Of course, the colonel said they were very excited to get both of these men because they do complete that part of the puzzle where if you put all of these people together, the most wanted and other information coming in, you manage to cross reference a lot of the information, a lot of the intelligence and you're better able to target people.
That doesn't necessarily mean that they are indeed hot on the trail of Saddam. They have said in the past they believe he's changing places every three to four hours but there's no indication that they know where those places are or any indication that these people they've caught will be able to lead them to him ... just that it will be another piece of the puzzle.
