The Cards Continue to Fall

U.S. Says Three More Top Iraqi Officials Captured

At least three additional top Iraqi officials have been apprehended, including the former head of the Iraqi ministry in charge of developing weapons, U.S. officials on Friday.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement that Abdul Tawab Mullah Hwaish, minister of military industrialization and No. 16 on the "most-wanted" list was in custody.

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Also apprehended was No. 42 on the U.S. list, Taha Mohieddin Ma'rouf, an Iraqi vice president and member of Saddam Hussein Revolutionary Command Council, Centcom said.

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A U.S. official in Washington said former Transport Minister Ahmed Murtada Ahmed Khalil had also been arrested in recent days. He was not on the most-wanted list and the official did not have details of his arrest.

ABC News reported that another former official had been captured and said he was No. 41 on the most-wanted list, Mizban Khadr Hadi, a member of Saddam's Revolutionary Command Council and a top Baath Party leader. U.S. officials in Washington said they could not confirm this arrest.