BAGHDAD -- Iraq's Information Ministry denied Wednesday reports that President Saddam Hussein had suffered a "severe stroke" and insisted he was "strong", AFP reported.

"These press reports are stupid and do not even merit a response," a spokesman told reporters in Baghdad.

"The whole world saw President Saddam Hussein who, for more than five hours, stood strong in saluting the units of our valiant army during the parade," on Sunday, he said.

According to the spokesman, Saddam "fired 142 shots in the air, which some youngsters could not do."

"That is enough to answer such reports," he added.

The official announcement came after the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a dissident opposition group based in Damascus, issued a statement on Monday saying Saddam had suffered a "severe stroke" the day before.

The statement from the council's Bayan Jaber said Saddam was rushed to hospital after attending the huge military parade.

Jaber told AFP in Damascus on Wednesday that Saddam had been taken ill, but did not specify the illness for which he was allegedly being treated in the capital's Ibn Sina Hospital.