Abdel Haq Alani, a senior member of Saddam Hussein's defence team, has said that the trial is nothing more than a political gimmick by the new Iraqi government.
He claimed that the trial is being held in order to generate support for next month's constitutional referendum.
Saddam, and seven other members of his regime, will stand trial in the Iraq Special Tribunal on October 19.
They are charged with ordering a massacre of 143 people in Dujail, in 1982 after a failed assassination attempt against Saddam. If convicted, Saddam could be sentenced to death.
Alani said:
"The court isn't even halfway ready to try the case. It's simply political capital being used to follow the referendum on the constitution."
Adding that the trial had "nothing to do with the reality of the investigation."
He went on to say that:
"The defence team has not yet been finalized. It will be made public when the accused (Saddam) gives his approval to the new team."
Theoretically, Saddam faces a dozen trials; only if he doesn't get executed after the first one finds him guilty.
No comments:
Post a Comment