Iraq president tries to keep hostages hoax afloat

"The new Iraqi president said Wednesday that more than 50 bodies had been discovered in the Tigris River and suggested that they were victims of a massive kidnapping south of Baghdad that Iraqi officials insisted was a hoax just three days ago.

"President-elect Jalal Talabani, offered no details about the crime, including when or precisely where the bodies had been found. Nor any documentation that could help independently verify his statement, like a list of victims, photographs of the bodies or the names of witnesses. But he said the government knew the names of victims and had photos.