The US military issued photographs of the bodies of Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay this afternoon in an effort to prove to sceptical Iraqis that the feared brothers had been killed.
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Uday Hussein with a picture of his body released by
the US military |
Officers in Baghdad released two mortuary pictures of the upper body and head of Uday, 39, and two of Qusay, 37, along with comparative pictures of the brothers when they were alive and X-ray slides apparently used to help identify Uday.
The pictures showed the bodies of the two men lying face up on plastic sheeting. Earlier, military officials showed Reuters initial pictures showing Uday had been wounded in the face.
Uday and Qusay were killed on Tuesday when 200 US troops attacked their hideout in Mosul with helicopters, grenades, heavy machineguns and anti-tank missiles.
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Qusay Hussein with a picture of his body released by
the US military |
Military officers said Uday appeared to have been killed by a bullet in the head, but it was not yet known whether he had been shot by US soldiers or had committed suicide.
Many Iraqis had said they would not believe Uday and Qusay were really dead until they saw proof. Spokesmen for the US-led administration in Baghdad said some of the 25 members of the Governing Council, a US- appointed body intended to bring a measure of self-rule, were being shown the bodies on Thursday afternoon.
They said the US military hoped the Council members would help them persuade their compatriots that Saddam's family could never return to power. The Council members were also being consulted on what should be done to dispose of the bodies.