Iraqi fugitive's family captured

Al-Douri is said to be organising the insurgency around Samarra and Tikrit

American troops have detained the wife and daughter of leading Iraqi fugitive Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri.

The two women - as well as the son of his physician - were seized for questioning in the city of Samarra north of Baghdad on Tuesday.

Mr al-Douri, who is sixth on the list of most wanted members of the former regime, is suspected of organising some attacks against coalition forces.

He was one of Saddam Hussein's closest and most trusted associates.

He is rumoured to be in poor health, and is known to have suffered from leukaemia in the past.

Colonel Bill MacDonald of the US Fourth Infantry Division, said the two had been arrested along with the son of Mr al-Douri's physician after a raid on a building in the city.

There was no indication that he was in the Samarra area himself, Colonel MacDonald added.

War crimes charges

The US is offering up to $10m reward for Mr al-Douri's capture.

He is believed to be one of the key organisers of the insurgency around Samarra and Tikrit.

Mr al-Douri was one of the key plotters who carried out the coup that brought the Baath Party to power in 1968.

In later years he served as the Iraqi leader's number two in the powerful Revolution Command Council, as vice-chairman.

He was deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and held a senior post on the committee responsible for northern Iraq when chemical weapons were used in 1988, killing thousands of Kurds.

War crimes charges have been issued against him in Austria.

Ten days ago, his home in the town of Tikrit was destroyed by US ground-to-ground missiles.