BAGHDAD, Iraq – Security forces in Saddam Hussein's hometown captured two of the ousted dictator's relatives, who allegedly were helping insurgents launch attacks in Iraq, the government said Monday.
The two were identified as one-time Saddam bodyguard Marwan Taher Abdul Rashid (search) and his cousin, Abdullah Maher Abdul Rashid (search) — who also was the brother-in-law of Saddam's son, Qusai, state-run Iraqiya television reported.
The two were captured March 8 in Tikrit (search), Saddam's hometown north of Baghdad, the government said in a statement.
Abdullah Maher Abdul Rashid was strongly believed to have "used big amounts of money that he received from Qusai ... to finance terrorism in Iraq," the statement said.
Marwan Taher Abdul Rashid "was once a bodyguard for Saddam Hussein and has been involved in number of attacks against the security forces," the statement said, giving no other details.
The two are not listed on any of the American most-wanted lists.
Qusai Hussein and his brother, Odai, were killed July 22, 2003, by U.S. troops during a shootout in the northern city of Mosul.
Last month, Saddam Hussein's half brother, Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan, a most-wanted leader in the Sunni-based insurgency, was detained. Al-Hassan was believed to have been financing insurgents from exile in neighboring Syria. His arrest was announced Feb. 27.
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