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— BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi television showed footage on Monday of President Saddam Hussein meeting with top aides after the United States said it stormed into the heart of the capital Baghdad and grabbed two of Saddam's palace compounds.

The president, wearing military fatigues, was shown sitting in a room with windows and with wall maps behind him.

Also seen present at the meeting were his younger son and heir apparent Qusay, Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz as well as other senior military officials.

It was not clear when the meeting took place. Elder son Uday was not shown in the film.

There has been no word on Saddam's whereabouts and there has been speculation among U.S. officials that he may have been incapacitated in attacks on Baghdad.

He was unlikely to be anywhere near his official palaces, which have been hit repeatedly since the start of the U.S.-led war to oust him.

Taped appearances by Saddam, who never appears live on television and has not been seen in public for a couple of years, have become more frequent in recent days as U.S. forces focus their military campaign on Baghdad.

The Iraqi authorities have been at pains to insist that Saddam is still in charge and controlling his forces.

On Saturday, the television showed footage of Saddam in a meeting with his two sons, top aides and military commanders in a windowless room at a large table.

photo credit and caption:

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sits in front of a wall map during a meeting, in this frame grab taken from footage aired on Iraqi Television, April 7, 2003. The footage showed Hussein meeting with top aides after the United States said it stormed into the heart of Baghdad and grabbed two of Saddam's palace compounds. Photo by Iraqi Television/Reuters

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