Saddam Hussein has acknowledged depositing billions of dollars abroad and has given interrogators the names of people who know where the money is, according to a member of the Iraqi Governing Council.
The US-appointed council estimates that the Iraqi dictator seized £23.5 billion sterling while in power and is now searching for that amount deposited in Switzerland, Japan, Germany and other countries, Mr Iyad Allawi said.
"Investigation is now concentrated on his relationship with terrorist organisations and on the money paid to elements outside Iraq," Mr Allawi said.
He said Saddam, who has been questioned by US interrogators since his capture this month, gave names of people who know where the money is deposited and also know the location of arms and ammunition depots used by insurgents in attacks against the coalition forces and the Governing Council.
"We have asked international legal and specialised companies to follow up the money he [Saddam] has deposited in Switzerland, Germany, Japan and other countries which is estimated at around 40 billion under fictitious companies' names," Mr Allawi added.
In Baghdad, Ahmed al-Bayak, another member of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, said he was told by council members that Saddam had started to talk about names of people inside Iraq who were carrying out attacks against US forces.