World News 04-12-2002 Press Glimpse Splendour of Saddam`s Palace who: Saddam Hussein what: Opens gates of one of his presidential palaces to weapons inspectors where: Iraq when: Yesterday snippet: "It was the shortest search of the mission so far, just one hour and 29 minutes," says The Independent`s Kim Sengupta, reporting on the progress of UNMOVIC weapons inspectors in Iraq. "But no one could doubt the symbolic significance when the United Nations came calling at the gates of Saddam Hussein`s palace yesterday morning." "When the UN convoy drew up outside the palace unannounced, about 20 minutes after leaving their headquarters in eastern Baghdad, a dozen nervous security men surrounded them," recounts The Telegraph. "They carried walkie-talkies and wore plain clothes. Sentries armed with AK-47 assault rifles hovered in the background." "A flourish of Arabic calligraphy on the portico spelt out the name Al-Sajoud, an Arabic word meaning the Islamic act of kneeling in prayer," says The Sun. "But there was little show of religious humility here." "The three-storey octagonal entrance hall, fashioned from white marble and lined with sumptuous carpets, echoed only with the sound of gasps from the 100 journalists allowed in after the inspection team had left," reports The Times. "Each wall is inscribed in gold with a poem singing Saddam`s praises. Intricately carved wooden doors near the entrance carry a gold inset bearing the initials SH." [... more]

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