Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

An Arab television channel has aired an audiotape purportedly made by Saddam Hussein, urging Iraqis to fight the U.S.-led occupation. Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television broadcast the tape Thursday, the 35th anniversary of the revolution that brought Saddam's Ba'ath party to power.

The speaker on the tape denounces Iraq's newly-formed Governing Council, which suggests that, if the tape is authentic, Saddam is still alive. The speaker calls the council a "servant" of the occupation authority, and urges Iraqis to pursue a "holy war" against U.S.-led coalition forces. The speaker also says President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair told lies to justify the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Listeners familar with Saddam's voice and speaking style say the tape sounds like him, but the tape has not yet been authenicated. U.S. intelligence services say a similar audio message aired on July 5 was probably a real tape from the ousted Iraqi leader. Saddam's whereabouts have been a mystery since U.S.-led forces toppled his regime in April.

U.S. forces in Iraq were already on heightened alert Thursday, anticipating that Saddam loyalists would mark the anniversary with more attacks. However, the streets of Baghad have been quiet, and U.S. troops on patrol have reported no problems. On Wednesday, a wave of attacks in and around Baghdad left one U.S. soldier dead and several others wounded.

The new head of the U.S. Central Command, General John Abizaid, says members of Iraq's now banned Ba'ath Party are among those behind the almost daily attacks on U.S.-led coalition forces. He says coalition troops are facing a classic guerrilla war led by people loyal to ousted Iraqi regime. At least 33 U.S. soldiers have been killed in hostile fire in Iraq since May 1, when President Bush declared major combat in the country over.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.