RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: We begin tonight in Baghdad, where Iraq's former dictator turned prisoner received visitors today. After months of requests, the Red Cross met privately with Saddam Hussein. With details on the visit, here is CNN's Brent Sadler.</s>BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was winkled out of this spider hole by American troops some 10 weeks ago. Iraq's deposed leader Saddam Hussein in U.S. custody and on display. Since then, the International Committee of the Red Cross or the ICRC has been pushing to see the 66-year old former president. As commander of Iraq's armed forces, he's officially designated a prisoner of war, protected by the third Geneva Convention of 1949. It gives him the right to visits by the ICRC and the possibility of family visits because he's held in Iraq. But POW status does not give immunity from prosecution, nor prevent him from being interrogated. He was seen by two ICRC delegates, an Arabic speaker and a doctor, who gave him a medical check-up.</s>NADIA DOUMANI, ICRC SPOKESPERSON: As usual, as for all visits to detainees, we check for the detainee has conditions of detention, the way he's treated, and his health condition.</s>SADLER: The visit was private. Conversations kept secret.</s>DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESPERSON: Let's just allow the visit to occur, allow the ICRC to speak out, but as the coalition, which has Saddam Hussein in our custody, it is inappropriate for us to be commenting on the details of these meetings or the timing of them.</s>SADLER (on camera): Since his capture, coalition officials say Saddam Hussein talks to his interrogators, but has revealed nothing of substance. Now having received his first humanitarian visit, he's seized on the chance of communicating with his family, writing them a personal letter, which under Red Cross rules, they can deliver. Brent Sadler, CNN, Baghdad.
Red Cross Meets With Hussein