At 9 p.m. Baghdad time, Information Minister Mohammed Saeed Sahhaf appeared on Baghdad television to read a defiant statement that he said came from Hussein. A report that Hussein himself would appear caused a stir because he has not been seen in public since the war began, and some U.S. officials believe that even his few television appearances may have been taped before the U.S. cruise missile strike on a Baghdad compound where he was believed to be on the first night of the war.

The statement read by Sahhaf urged Iraqis to continue the fight against the "evil invaders." It said that "God will make us victorious and the invaders will run away. They are evil and we are honorable." It told Iraqi fighters that the war offers "your chance for immortality" by standing up for Islam.

"Long live our nation, long live Palestine, long live Iraq," said Sahhaf, reading from the statement. "Let us go an do jihad. Long live our nation. God is great, and the evil criminals will be the losers." Sahhaf pointedly added the date, "April 1, 2003."