US: A handgun that Saddam Hussein was clutching when US forces captured him in a hole in Iraq last December is now kept by President George Bush at the White House, Time magazine reported yesterday.
Military officials had the pistol mounted after it was seized from Saddam near his hometown of Tikrit last year, and soldiers involved in the capture gave it to Mr Bush in a private meeting, Time said.
The magazine quoted a visitor who had been shown the gun, which is kept in a small study off the Oval Office where President Bush displays memorabilia. It is the same room where former president Mr Bill Clinton had some of his encounters with former intern Ms Monica Lewinsky.
President Bush shows Saddam's gun to select visitors, telling them it is unloaded, both now and when Saddam was captured, Time reported.
"He really liked showing it off," said a visitor who had seen the gun. "He was really proud of it."
A White House spokesman was not immediately available for comment.