Saddam pressed about insurgency
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U.S. soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division display a box stuffed with $750,000, found when the troops captured Saddam Hussein.
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Arabs have mixed emotions after Saddam's capture
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(CNN) -- Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein remained defiant Monday in the face of interrogations by military and intelligence officers about the insurgency against coalition forces, U.S. officials in Washington said.
During questioning a day earlier, one senior official said simply that 66-year-old Saddam was a "wiseass." (Saddam profile)
Saddam, who is being held at an undisclosed location in Iraq, also denied having ties to terrorists or knowledge of weapons of mass destruction, according to the officials.
While officials say they do not expect Saddam to cooperate on questions about his weapons programs, the officials also hope more Iraqi scientists will come forward with details now that he is in custody.
Saddam reportedly asserted to interrogators that the United States invented the presence of WMD to justify the invasion of his country, Time magazine correspondent Brian Bennett told CNN, quoting a U.S. official in Iraq who had seen an initial interrogation report.
While Saddam was recalcitrant, U.S. forces have already made at least one arrest based on some of the documents found with him, officials said.
Officials said some of the documents detailed a meeting of resistance cell leaders -- and included their names.
President Bush expressed skepticism about what details Saddam might provide.
"He's a deceiver, he's a liar, he's a torturer, he's a murderer. I can't imagine why he would change his attitude," Bush told reporters in Washington. "I'd be very cautious about relying upon his word in any way, shape or form."
That assessment was echoed by members of the Iraq Governing Council who were allowed to visit the deposed leader to help identify him.
Governing Council member Adnan Pachachi said Saddam was "not apologetic," and instead was "sarcastic and making a mockery of the Iraqi people."
Tracing the cash
Authorities are checking the cash found in Saddam's possession to determine whether it is part of the $1 billion looted from Iraq's Central Bank shortly before his government fell, a U.S. Treasury official in Washington said Monday.
Officials suspect the $750,000 in U.S. currency may prove to be from the truckloads of funds Saddam allegedly authorized his inner circle to remove as U.S. troops closed in on Baghdad.
"That is our prime hypothesis," said Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Juan Zarate in Washington. "It appears to be in U.S. one hundred dollar bills similar to how it was packaged at the Central Bank," he said.
Zarate said the serial numbers are being cross-checked against Iraqi government bank documents to ensure the money is not counterfeit.
"The capture of the money is important. It's $750,000 that can't be used for bounty," Zarate said.
Zarate said about $100 million of the looted Iraq money is still unaccounted for. He said approximately $900 million has been recovered to date.
Capture details
New details emerged Monday about Saddam's capture Saturday evening.
Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division who participated in the raid said they were preparing to toss a grenade or fire into a hole they had uncovered -- standard procedure for their own safety -- when they saw a pair of upraised hands. (Gallery: Saddam's capture)
The hands belonged to a face -- the haggard, weary face of Saddam.
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An image released by the U.S. Army shows Saddam after he was captured.
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"I am Saddam Hussein," the bearded ex-leader told the soldiers. "I am president of Iraq. I want to negotiate."
The soldiers replied: "President Bush sends his regards." (Full story) (Audio slide show: Saddam's capture)
Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, the 4th Infantry Division's commander, said U.S. forces in Iraq feel a sense of satisfaction, but that a lot of work remains.
"It's a psychological victory for us," Odierno said. "But we still have insurgents on the ground still conducting operations, so all the soldiers must stay focused and mission-oriented as we continue our mission here on the ground." (CNN Access)
Bush had this message Monday for Saddam: "Good riddance.
"The world is better off without you, Mr. Saddam Hussein. And I find it very interesting that when the heat got on, you dug yourself a hole and you crawled in it." (Full story)
Next step unclear
Speculation turned Monday to where and when a trial of the former ruler might be held.
One member of the Iraqi Governing Council said Saddam could be tried within the next few weeks and executed if convicted by an Iraqi war crimes tribunal.
Iran, though, said it was preparing a criminal complaint against him to present to an international court, if one were to be formed to try Saddam. (Full story)
Also Monday, two almost-simultaneous car bombings outside Iraqi police stations left at least eight people dead, Iraqi officials said. (Full story)
CNN's Nic Robertson, Jamie McIntyre, Barbara Starr, Jane Arraf, Al Goodman, Alphonso Van Marsh, John King, David Ensor, Terry Frieden and Satinder Bindra contributed to this report.
Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
