The trial of Saddam Hussein continues in rather a stop start fashion, as it was again adjourned yesterday; this time until the 24th of January 2006.
Saddam Hussein managed to verbally bombast the US president and Israel; he claimed that prison officials had manhandled him and stolen his money, his personal watch and another watch given to him by his daughter.
Taha Yassin Ramadan, formerly a top aide of Saddam, said that buildings had been demolished for security reasons. He also alleged he had been tortured during his detention, and that one of his toes had been broken by the interrogators.
He requested that the court session be held closed door.
Chief of the Investigation Department of the Higher Criminal Court, Judge Raed Juhi, issued s statement denying the torture allegations.
An official stressed that the interrogators were abiding by human rights rules, and that the defendants were receiving good and humane treatment.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Defence Threatened
Najib al-Nueimi, Qatar's former minister of justice and one of the defence lawyers of Saddam Hussein, claimed that he was harassed and threatened with death by workers at Baghdad airport on Wednesday.
He claimed that when he left the airport a group of Iraqi workers threatened him, because he volunteered to defend Hussein. The American protection team, and some members of the Iraqi police, intervened to prevent the workers from approaching him.
He has asked the court for better protection for the defence team.
He claimed that when he left the airport a group of Iraqi workers threatened him, because he volunteered to defend Hussein. The American protection team, and some members of the Iraqi police, intervened to prevent the workers from approaching him.
He has asked the court for better protection for the defence team.
Saddam Grandstands Again
Saddam Hussein in court today claimed that the Bush administration had lied when it claimed there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, as well as when it disputed his claims of being beaten.
Quote:
"The White House lies once more. The number-one liar in the world, they said in Iraq, there is chemicals, and there is a relation to terrorism, and they announced later we couldn't find any of that in Iraq.
Also, they said that what Saddam Hussein (said) was not true".
He then spoke of his allegations , made yesterday about being beaten:
"I have documented the injuries I had before three American medical teams."
Hussein then added that the medical teams numbered "two, for sure, unequivocally."
Then, for good measure:
"We don't lie. The White House lies."
The defence have requested that the testimony of prosecution witnesses not be broadcast, until all the witnesses have testified. They claim that witnesses are watching each other's testimonies and then repeating them. The court will consider this request.
One witness who testified today from behind a curtain to protect his identity. He said that when he was 8 years that his father, three uncles and grandmother were arrested and imprisoned.
"She complained to us about what had happened to her. They used to torture her before her children and they would torture her children before her. She said, 'They tortured us, and we did not know for what reason.'"
The defence noted that he Defense was a child at the time, and that he was not arrested and did not see any torture or killings personally.
Saddam interjected too:
"His testimony is documented and accepted, and he's underage (at the time)?" This is something I would like to understand. Is this allowed? Is this permissible?"
The trial continues.
Quote:
"The White House lies once more. The number-one liar in the world, they said in Iraq, there is chemicals, and there is a relation to terrorism, and they announced later we couldn't find any of that in Iraq.
Also, they said that what Saddam Hussein (said) was not true".
He then spoke of his allegations , made yesterday about being beaten:
"I have documented the injuries I had before three American medical teams."
Hussein then added that the medical teams numbered "two, for sure, unequivocally."
Then, for good measure:
"We don't lie. The White House lies."
The defence have requested that the testimony of prosecution witnesses not be broadcast, until all the witnesses have testified. They claim that witnesses are watching each other's testimonies and then repeating them. The court will consider this request.
One witness who testified today from behind a curtain to protect his identity. He said that when he was 8 years that his father, three uncles and grandmother were arrested and imprisoned.
"She complained to us about what had happened to her. They used to torture her before her children and they would torture her children before her. She said, 'They tortured us, and we did not know for what reason.'"
The defence noted that he Defense was a child at the time, and that he was not arrested and did not see any torture or killings personally.
Saddam interjected too:
"His testimony is documented and accepted, and he's underage (at the time)?" This is something I would like to understand. Is this allowed? Is this permissible?"
The trial continues.
Saddam's Uniform Sold
A US Army 3rd Division Soldier has made $16K, before commission, by selling one of Saddam Hussein's uniforms via the Manion's International Auction House website.
The uniform was "liberated" from a tailor's shop soon after the arrival of US troops in Baghdad.
The identity of the bidder remains strictly confidential. However, the sale drew interest from Saudi Arabia and Mongolia, in addition to the US and Europe.
The uniform was "liberated" from a tailor's shop soon after the arrival of US troops in Baghdad.
The identity of the bidder remains strictly confidential. However, the sale drew interest from Saudi Arabia and Mongolia, in addition to the US and Europe.
Saddam Hussein Alleges He Was Beaten
Saddam Hussein has accused US troops of beating and torturing him whilst he was in jail.
Saddam, whilst speaking at his trial yesterday, claimed that evidence of torture could be seen all over his body.
The prosecution pooh poohed the claims, saying that Saddam was relatively comfortable as his room was comfortable and air-conditioned room. They noted that many people in Baghdad have an unreliable electricity supply, which makes air conditioning the stuff of dreams.
Saddam made his claim after several hours of testimony, which included witnesses who claimed that Saddam's agents had tortured people by ripping off their skin.
One of the witnesses was al-Haidari, who stated that seven of his brothers were executed by Saddam's soldiers and that their bodies have never been found.
He told the court that he, and other residents of his village, were taken to Baghdad and thrown into a prison where people were given electric shocks and regular beatings.
Saddam then took it upon himself to speak, and claimed that he had been tortured and beaten on every part of his body, and that his seven co-defendants had also been beaten.
Quote:
"I would say yes, we were beaten up. We were beaten up by Americans and we were tortured.
Every one of us.
This man when he gets up he has to hold the railing because he was beaten up badly. He was beaten badly with rifle butts on his back".
The Chief Prosecutor, Jaafar al-Mousawi, said that he would investigate the claims; stating that if they were true, Saddam would be transferred to the custody of Iraqi troops.
Christopher Reid of the US embassy in Baghdad said that the claims were bogus.
Quote:
"We heard Barzon al-Tikriti complaining about his treatment and saying the cigarettes I'm getting are terrible and I only get six a day, that kind of a complaint. So nowhere then was anything mentioned about being beaten or whatever.
So I think these are bogus claims, they're designed to ambush the court, and they're designed to really play on or play against some of the testimony that we've had in the case so far".
Sean McCormack, State Department spokesman, said:
"I know of nothing that would substantiate such a claim. He's given to grandstanding in this trial. But where the focus should be is on the testimony of those people who were victimised".
Saddam, whilst speaking at his trial yesterday, claimed that evidence of torture could be seen all over his body.
The prosecution pooh poohed the claims, saying that Saddam was relatively comfortable as his room was comfortable and air-conditioned room. They noted that many people in Baghdad have an unreliable electricity supply, which makes air conditioning the stuff of dreams.
Saddam made his claim after several hours of testimony, which included witnesses who claimed that Saddam's agents had tortured people by ripping off their skin.
One of the witnesses was al-Haidari, who stated that seven of his brothers were executed by Saddam's soldiers and that their bodies have never been found.
He told the court that he, and other residents of his village, were taken to Baghdad and thrown into a prison where people were given electric shocks and regular beatings.
Saddam then took it upon himself to speak, and claimed that he had been tortured and beaten on every part of his body, and that his seven co-defendants had also been beaten.
Quote:
"I would say yes, we were beaten up. We were beaten up by Americans and we were tortured.
Every one of us.
This man when he gets up he has to hold the railing because he was beaten up badly. He was beaten badly with rifle butts on his back".
The Chief Prosecutor, Jaafar al-Mousawi, said that he would investigate the claims; stating that if they were true, Saddam would be transferred to the custody of Iraqi troops.
Christopher Reid of the US embassy in Baghdad said that the claims were bogus.
Quote:
"We heard Barzon al-Tikriti complaining about his treatment and saying the cigarettes I'm getting are terrible and I only get six a day, that kind of a complaint. So nowhere then was anything mentioned about being beaten or whatever.
So I think these are bogus claims, they're designed to ambush the court, and they're designed to really play on or play against some of the testimony that we've had in the case so far".
Sean McCormack, State Department spokesman, said:
"I know of nothing that would substantiate such a claim. He's given to grandstanding in this trial. But where the focus should be is on the testimony of those people who were victimised".
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Saddam Hussein's Trial Resumes
The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed today, after a break since 7th December.
On that date Saddam did not attend, in protest at the handling of the trial. However, he is present today.
Saddam today interrupted as the first witness, Ali Mohammed Hussein al-Haydari, began giving testimony.
However, order was restored and the witness described how some of his brothers were shot by security forces, and he and his family were taken to Baath Party headquarters.
Quote:
"I saw my brother being tortured in front of my eyes. I was terrified."
The trial is likely to be adjourned again tomorrow, until mid-January, because of the announcement of Iraq's December 15th National Assembly election results, holidays and the Hajj.
On that date Saddam did not attend, in protest at the handling of the trial. However, he is present today.
Saddam today interrupted as the first witness, Ali Mohammed Hussein al-Haydari, began giving testimony.
However, order was restored and the witness described how some of his brothers were shot by security forces, and he and his family were taken to Baath Party headquarters.
Quote:
"I saw my brother being tortured in front of my eyes. I was terrified."
The trial is likely to be adjourned again tomorrow, until mid-January, because of the announcement of Iraq's December 15th National Assembly election results, holidays and the Hajj.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
What's In A Name?
In a slip of the tongue President George Bush accidently revealed his inner thinking yesterday.
Bush briefly turned Osama bin Laden into Saddam Hussein.
Bush momentarily switched the names in a news conference at the White House, where he was defending his decision to authorise eavesdropping on Americans suspected of links with al Qaeda and other organisations in the U.S. war on terrorism.
Quote:
"In the late 1990s, our government was following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone and then the fact that we were following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone made it into the press as the result of a leak."
Adding:
"And guess what happened. Saddam ...Osama bin Laden changed his behaviour. He began to change how he communicated. We're at war. And we must protect America's secrets."
Many a slip tixt cup and lip.
Bush briefly turned Osama bin Laden into Saddam Hussein.
Bush momentarily switched the names in a news conference at the White House, where he was defending his decision to authorise eavesdropping on Americans suspected of links with al Qaeda and other organisations in the U.S. war on terrorism.
Quote:
"In the late 1990s, our government was following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone and then the fact that we were following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone made it into the press as the result of a leak."
Adding:
"And guess what happened. Saddam ...Osama bin Laden changed his behaviour. He began to change how he communicated. We're at war. And we must protect America's secrets."
Many a slip tixt cup and lip.
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