By John J. Lumpkin
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein has denied to his interrogators that his regime had weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaida, U.S. officials said Monday.

He has greeted his initial interrogation with a mix of sarcasm and defiance, the officials said, discussing the questioning only on the condition of anonymity.

Saddam has complied with commands to stand up and sit down, but officials said he has not provided much useful information on the guerrilla war or other matters.

He has also denied knowledge of the fate of Scott Speicher, the Navy fighter pilot who disappeared over Iraq during the first Gulf War.

Saddam's denials match those of his regime before the most recent war. U.S. officials say the denials are expected, particularly in the early stages of an interrogation, before his interrogators establish a rapport with him.

His interrogation is taking place at an undisclosed location in Iraq.

U.S. intelligence and military officials say their first priority is to focus on the resistance and the whereabouts of Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri and other senior regime officials and insurgent leaders.

But it is unclear how much knowledge he has of those matters. Intelligence officials say they believe he has been too concerned with survival to serve than much more than an inspiration to the resistance.

The initial questioning is a race against the clock, because his information grows more outdated by the hour, and other regime leaders and cells change locations or take other security precautions to avoid capture.

It is unclear what evidence, if any, troops uncovered of Saddam's possible operational control over the resistance. Officials announced they found no communications equipment, maps or other evidence of a guerrilla command center at Saddam's hiding place.

However, on Monday, a U.S. general said Saddam's capture is already providing intelligence that allowed U.S. soldiers to capture several key regime figures and uncover rebel cells in the capital.

The intelligence that led the military to the men came from interrogations stemming from Saddam's capture, and a briefcase of documents Saddam carried with him at the time of his arrest, said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling.