BAGHDAD (AP) — A video posted online Saturday purports to show Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the highest ranking member of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime still at large, criticizing Iraq's Shiite-led government.
It was not possible to verify the authenticity of the video or determine when it was made.
The man in the video, posted on a website linked to Saddam's now-outlawed Baath party, was introduced as al-Douri and bore a striking physical resemblance to the former Saddam deputy.
Wearing olive military fatigues and eyeglasses, he spoke for more than an hour, lashing out at Iraq's Shiite-dominated government, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and what he said was meddling by neighboring Shiite powerhouse Iran.
"Everyone can hear the sounds of danger echoing daily and threatening this country," he said, adding that al-Maliki's Dawa Party "has announced Iraq as the Shiite capital, and called on all Arab leaders to surrender to this reality."
Al-Douri has been reported to have died or been captured more than once in the past. He has not been seen in public since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, though audio tapes purporting to be from him have been released.
Al-Douri is believed to have played a key role in financing Sunni insurgents that have sought to undermine Iraq's post-Saddam government. He was the "king of clubs" in the deck of playing cards issued by the U.S. to help troops identify the most-wanted members of Saddam's regime.
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Associated Press writer Mazin Yahya contributed reporting.
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