Iraq

Iraq plans for future without Hussein

Elections might come within a year. Also in the works, officials say, is a special tribunal if the former dictator is captured alive.

Iraq continued to inch Thursday toward a future without Saddam Hussein, his government or his family.

In Baghdad, the U.S. administrator said a new constitution could be written and accepted by the Iraqi people in a referendum, followed by general elections by the middle of next year.

Officials also said they want a cell phone system in operation by November; the landline system is still a shambles after coalition bombing.

In Washington, officials and experts said this country is laying plans for a tribunal staffed by Iraqis to try the ousted Iraqi president - if he allows himself to be taken alive.

The Army has generated images of what Hussein might look like after three months on the run, although it did not release the pictures to anyone but soldiers hunting for him.

State Department officials said they had paid the $30-million reward promised to the informer who provided information that led to the deaths of Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, whom U.S. forces killed July 22 in Mosul. Following U.S. policy, the government is not revealing the identity of that informer.

In Iraq, attacks against U.S. soldiers resumed after a 48-hour hiatus. Two were killed in separate attacks and five wounded.

Since President Bush declared major combat operations ended May 1, 51 Americans have been killed by hostile action.

Jordan, meanwhile, said it had granted asylum to Hussein's two elder daughters, who arrived in the capital, Amman. The daughters had been estranged from Hussein for some time; he had their husbands killed in 1996.

Little is known about the whereabouts of their youngest sister or Hussein's wife Sajida. Both are believed to be in hiding.

In Washington, a special adviser for the U.S. search for banned weapons in Iraq hinted that U.S. and coalition personnel are close to a breakthrough. He said some Iraqi scientists are cooperating.

Americans "should not be surprised by (future) surprises," said David Kay, adding, "We are surprised by new advances that we're making." See stories, 2A.

An Internal Revenue Service agent from Florida is back from a three-week mission to Iraq to find Hussein's hidden money. He interrogated detained Iraqi officials, including Hussein's half brother.

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