William Shaoul Benjamin, of Los Angeles USA, who has been accused of collecting intelligence for Saddam Hussein's regime during the 1990's was indicted on charges of failing to register as an agent of a foreign government.
Benjamin also faces charges of making false statements and conspiracy.
Benjamin has pleaded not guilty, and has been released on a $500,000 bond with electric monitoring.
Codenamed "9211" Benjamin allegedly worked with the Iraqi Intelligence Service between 1993 and 2001. He is accused of infiltrating groups and organisations deemed to be hostile to Saddam's government.
He also allegedly traveled to Iraq to train with intelligence officers.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Chief Judge Replaced
Abdullah al-Amiri, the chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trail, has been removed as complaints against his "softness" towards Saddam won the day.
Wednesday saw Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, a Shiite Muslim Arab, presiding which in itself caused a walkout of Saddam's defence team.
Defence lawyer Wadoud Fawzi said:
"We don't expect from this court established under the occupation authorities to be fair, so we decided to withdraw from this trial
The decision to sack the judge at the orders of the government shows that this trial lacks the standards of a fair trial."
Al-Khalifa said that replacing the chief judge was an "administrative matter." When the lawyers protested, the judge said the court would appoint new counsel.
Saddam then said that he wanted his lawyers to stay:
"This is our personal right.
You must deal with us as the law dictates."
Al-Khalifa asked him to stop talking, Saddam refused and was ejected from the courtroom.
However, as he was being ejected Saddam said:
"Your father was in the security and he went on working as a sergeant in the security (forces) until the fall of Baghdad."
"I challenge you in front of the public if this is the case." al-Khalifa shouted back.
Saddam's cousin "Chemical" Ali al-Majid said:
"I'll stay, but I'll decline to say anything or defend myself and I'll gladly accept any verdict, even if it's the death penalty."
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it was "very concerned" about al-Amiri's removal.
Quote:
"This appears to be improper interference in the independence of the tribunal, and may greatly damage the court."
I have said it before, and will say it again, if justice is to be seen to be done Saddam should have been tried in a similar manner to the Nuremberg trials.
Wednesday saw Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, a Shiite Muslim Arab, presiding which in itself caused a walkout of Saddam's defence team.
Defence lawyer Wadoud Fawzi said:
"We don't expect from this court established under the occupation authorities to be fair, so we decided to withdraw from this trial
The decision to sack the judge at the orders of the government shows that this trial lacks the standards of a fair trial."
Al-Khalifa said that replacing the chief judge was an "administrative matter." When the lawyers protested, the judge said the court would appoint new counsel.
Saddam then said that he wanted his lawyers to stay:
"This is our personal right.
You must deal with us as the law dictates."
Al-Khalifa asked him to stop talking, Saddam refused and was ejected from the courtroom.
However, as he was being ejected Saddam said:
"Your father was in the security and he went on working as a sergeant in the security (forces) until the fall of Baghdad."
"I challenge you in front of the public if this is the case." al-Khalifa shouted back.
Saddam's cousin "Chemical" Ali al-Majid said:
"I'll stay, but I'll decline to say anything or defend myself and I'll gladly accept any verdict, even if it's the death penalty."
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it was "very concerned" about al-Amiri's removal.
Quote:
"This appears to be improper interference in the independence of the tribunal, and may greatly damage the court."
I have said it before, and will say it again, if justice is to be seen to be done Saddam should have been tried in a similar manner to the Nuremberg trials.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
UN Warns of Civil War
The United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, has warned that Iraq is in danger of descending into full scale civil war. They are pretty well already suffering from limited scale civil war at the moment.
Quote:
"Iraq and its leaders are now at an important crossroads. If they can address the needs and common interests of all Iraqis, the promise of peace and prosperity is still within reach.
But if current patterns of alienation and violence persist much longer, there is a grave danger that the Iraqi state will break down, possibly in the midst of a full-scale civil war.
Peace in Iraq will ultimately depend on domestic resolve and regional cooperation, but it will not come about without ever more urgent international engagement.
The international community may not be able to ensure Iraq's success, but it can guarantee failure if it does not come through in time with sufficient support."
Mission accomplished?
Pah!
Quote:
"Iraq and its leaders are now at an important crossroads. If they can address the needs and common interests of all Iraqis, the promise of peace and prosperity is still within reach.
But if current patterns of alienation and violence persist much longer, there is a grave danger that the Iraqi state will break down, possibly in the midst of a full-scale civil war.
Peace in Iraq will ultimately depend on domestic resolve and regional cooperation, but it will not come about without ever more urgent international engagement.
The international community may not be able to ensure Iraq's success, but it can guarantee failure if it does not come through in time with sufficient support."
Mission accomplished?
Pah!
UN Warns of Civil War
The United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, has warned that Iraq is in danger of descending into full scale civil war. They are pretty well already suffering from limited scale civil war at the moment.
Quote:
"Iraq and its leaders are now at an important crossroads. If they can address the needs and common interests of all Iraqis, the promise of peace and prosperity is still within reach.
But if current patterns of alienation and violence persist much longer, there is a grave danger that the Iraqi state will break down, possibly in the midst of a full-scale civil war.
Peace in Iraq will ultimately depend on domestic resolve and regional cooperation, but it will not come about without ever more urgent international engagement.
The international community may not be able to ensure Iraq's success, but it can guarantee failure if it does not come through in time with sufficient support."
Mission accomplished?
Pah!
Quote:
"Iraq and its leaders are now at an important crossroads. If they can address the needs and common interests of all Iraqis, the promise of peace and prosperity is still within reach.
But if current patterns of alienation and violence persist much longer, there is a grave danger that the Iraqi state will break down, possibly in the midst of a full-scale civil war.
Peace in Iraq will ultimately depend on domestic resolve and regional cooperation, but it will not come about without ever more urgent international engagement.
The international community may not be able to ensure Iraq's success, but it can guarantee failure if it does not come through in time with sufficient support."
Mission accomplished?
Pah!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Dutchman Testifies
Karawan Abdellah, a Dutchman, gave testimony today at Saddam Hussein's trial.
He noted that he had temporarily lost his eyesight, as a result of an alleged chemical attack by Iraqi forces on his northern village almost twenty years ago in March 1988.
Abdellah said that he is still in pain from the injury.
Quote:
"I stayed in a hospital for six months and during this period I wasn't able to see at all."
Adding:
"When I take off my glasses in front of my children, they tell me to wear them again because they get scared of the way my eyes look."
He said that he later received further treatment in the Netherlands, where he applied for asylum and was granted a Dutch passport in 1994.
Saddam briefly cross examined Abdellah, and noted that as Abdellah was a Dutchman not an Iraqi under the law he shouldn't be giving testimony.
Saddam also tried to explain how the Kurds were allied with Iran, but the judge again warned him:
"You embarrass me when you get into such details."
Saddam failed to heed the warning, and had his microphone cut off by the judge.
The trial continues.
He noted that he had temporarily lost his eyesight, as a result of an alleged chemical attack by Iraqi forces on his northern village almost twenty years ago in March 1988.
Abdellah said that he is still in pain from the injury.
Quote:
"I stayed in a hospital for six months and during this period I wasn't able to see at all."
Adding:
"When I take off my glasses in front of my children, they tell me to wear them again because they get scared of the way my eyes look."
He said that he later received further treatment in the Netherlands, where he applied for asylum and was granted a Dutch passport in 1994.
Saddam briefly cross examined Abdellah, and noted that as Abdellah was a Dutchman not an Iraqi under the law he shouldn't be giving testimony.
Saddam also tried to explain how the Kurds were allied with Iran, but the judge again warned him:
"You embarrass me when you get into such details."
Saddam failed to heed the warning, and had his microphone cut off by the judge.
The trial continues.
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