The visit came during Rumsfeld's visit to Iraq about two weeks ago and was known only to a few Iraqi officials in Jordan, the Arab daily reported quoting sources.

Some two weeks ago the British Telegraph had reported that Iraqi gunmen were offered a "deal" to halt all terror attacks in return for a reduced sentence for Saddam, likely to be sentenced to death.

However, an Iraqi government official is said to believe that Saddam's Baath party will request to return to politics, the report said.