Iraq Denies Saddam Suffers Severe StrokeAn Iraqi official on Wednesday denied a claim that President Saddam Hussein had suffered "a severe stroke"following the military parade in the Iraqi capital three days ago."This is totally groundless and does not deserve a response," said Salam Hatab Nasari, director of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture and Information. The whole world could see that the president was "very strong" during the military parade, Nasari added. A Damascus-based Iraqi opposition group claimed that Saddam suffered "a severe stroke" after the military parade and was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. Iraq staged the grand parade last Sunday to show support for Palestinian intifada (uprising) against Israel and greet the new year and its upcoming Army Day, which falls on January 6. Saddam was among the senior Iraqi officials reviewing the parade, which lasted for five hours. Saddam, showing his physical stamina, kept on waving and saluting to the crowd and fired a total 115 shots into the sky during the parade. |
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