During yesterday's session of Saddam Hussein's trial, witnesses described their suffering during their detention in a desert prison in southern Iraq.
Abdullah Said Muhammed, 79 years old, said that his village was attacked by chemical weapons.
Quote:
"We ran away from poison gas and fled the area to a nearby village."
He noted that the Iraqi forces then arrested the fleeing people and threw them to prison, where they endured bad sanitary conditions.
Said added that approximately 1,800 people died in Nugrat al- Salaman prison, during the four months of his detention, "I myself helped bury 20 dead prisoners, including eight of my relatives."
Baqer Qader Muhammad described his suffering in the Nugrat al-Salman prison, saying that he and many other detainees were infected with diarrhea as a result of the dirty water.
The trial has now been adjourned until October 30th, to give the defendants time to contact their lawyers.
Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, said on Wednesday:
"God willing, the trial will not continue for a long time and shortly a death sentence will be passed against his crimes, along with his aides and the criminals who worked with him.
With his execution, those betting on returning Saddam to power under the banner of the Baath Party will loose."
As Prime minister he should not openly interfere in the trial, by stating publicly his wish to see a death sentence, prior to a verdict being delivered.
He is hoping against hope, that the execution of Saddam will stem the tide of violence that is engulfing Iraq. I suspect that it is too late for that, and that the eventual "solution" to the violence will be the partition of Iraq.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Mass Graves
During yesterday's session of Saddam Hussein's trial the first eyewitness for a mass grave of Kurdish people in Western Iraq, during the Saddam's crackdown on Kurds insurgency, took the stand on condition of anonymity.
The witness described how he, and other Kurdish people, were driven through unpaved roads to Iraq's western desert.
Quote:
"We heard screaming and gunfire but it was far from us.
One of the detainees told us to recite the Shahada (Muslim declaration of faith) and ask for forgiveness as we are going to die in few minutes."
The witness went on to say that he tried to run away, but that he fell into a ditch full of bodies. As he continued to make good his escape, he said that he saw many ditches full of bodies in the desert.
A second anonymous Kurdish witness said that Iraqi soldiers took detainees, including himself, to the desert and attempted to execute them.
Quote:
"They put us, altogether 34 persons, in vehicles. We had thought they would take us back home, but they took us to the south and we were blindfolded.
We didn't know where exactly we were taking to until our vehicles arrived at an area where we could heard the shovels burying bodies who were executed before."
The witness was wounded, and several other detainees were killed, when they attacked the guards who opened fire on them.
The witness added:
"After cease-fire I ran for twenty minutes until I reached a camp."
Chief Judge Muhammed Ureiby then adjourned the court until today.
The witness described how he, and other Kurdish people, were driven through unpaved roads to Iraq's western desert.
Quote:
"We heard screaming and gunfire but it was far from us.
One of the detainees told us to recite the Shahada (Muslim declaration of faith) and ask for forgiveness as we are going to die in few minutes."
The witness went on to say that he tried to run away, but that he fell into a ditch full of bodies. As he continued to make good his escape, he said that he saw many ditches full of bodies in the desert.
A second anonymous Kurdish witness said that Iraqi soldiers took detainees, including himself, to the desert and attempted to execute them.
Quote:
"They put us, altogether 34 persons, in vehicles. We had thought they would take us back home, but they took us to the south and we were blindfolded.
We didn't know where exactly we were taking to until our vehicles arrived at an area where we could heard the shovels burying bodies who were executed before."
The witness was wounded, and several other detainees were killed, when they attacked the guards who opened fire on them.
The witness added:
"After cease-fire I ran for twenty minutes until I reached a camp."
Chief Judge Muhammed Ureiby then adjourned the court until today.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Discord
Saddam Hussein yesterday accused witnesses of sowing discord for Israel's benefit, in their testimonies about conditions in detention camps under his regime.
Saddam was rebutting two Kurdish witnesses who had testified that they were detained in 1988 in a camp, where conditions were so bad that hundreds died of malnutrition.
Quote:
"This will only serve the separation.
The Zionists are the only ones who will benefit from the differences among Iraqis."
Saddam also pooh poohed the prosecution claims that he ran a police state, saying:
"Our country and government are real.
What is unreal and unbelievable are the heads, which are falling in the streets nowadays."
Whatever Saddam may say, it is not unreasonable to point out that Iraq was a police state under his control.
The trial continues today.
Saddam was rebutting two Kurdish witnesses who had testified that they were detained in 1988 in a camp, where conditions were so bad that hundreds died of malnutrition.
Quote:
"This will only serve the separation.
The Zionists are the only ones who will benefit from the differences among Iraqis."
Saddam also pooh poohed the prosecution claims that he ran a police state, saying:
"Our country and government are real.
What is unreal and unbelievable are the heads, which are falling in the streets nowadays."
Whatever Saddam may say, it is not unreasonable to point out that Iraq was a police state under his control.
The trial continues today.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Iraq Descends Into Chaos
Imad al-Faroon, the brother of the senior prosecutor in Saddam Hussein's second trial, was shot dead in front of his wife at his home in Baghdad yesterday.
Al-Faroon's brother is chief prosecutor Muqith al-Faroon, who is leading the prosecution in Saddam's second trial.
Imad al-Faroon was a legal adviser to Ahmed Chalabi, an Iraqi exile who returned to a prominent position after the US toppled Saddam.
The assassination again raises questions about the security situation in Iraq, and what possible hope for the future that the citizens of that troubled country may have.
Al-Faroon's brother is chief prosecutor Muqith al-Faroon, who is leading the prosecution in Saddam's second trial.
Imad al-Faroon was a legal adviser to Ahmed Chalabi, an Iraqi exile who returned to a prominent position after the US toppled Saddam.
The assassination again raises questions about the security situation in Iraq, and what possible hope for the future that the citizens of that troubled country may have.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Saddam's Open Letter
Saddam Hussein has dictated an open letter to his chief lawyer, Khalil Dulaimi, during a meeting on Saturday in prison.
The letter is directed at the Iraqi people, in it he tells them that "victory is at hand".
Saddam then goes on to urge insurgents to show magnanimity to opponents, and he offers his forgiveness to those Iraqis who aided the killers of his two sons.
Saddam said that the Iraqis should put aside their differences, and concentrate on driving US troops out of the country.
Quote:
"Victory is at hand, but don't forget that your near-term goal is confined to liberating your country from the forces of occupation."
Adding:
"When you achieve victory and it is close remember you are God's soldiers which means you should show genuine forgiveness and put aside revenge over the spilled blood of the sons of Saddam Hussein.
I call on you to apply justice in your Jihad and not be drawn to recklessness and urge you to be forgiving rather than tough with those who have lost the path."
Meanwhile, the body count continues to rise.
The letter is directed at the Iraqi people, in it he tells them that "victory is at hand".
Saddam then goes on to urge insurgents to show magnanimity to opponents, and he offers his forgiveness to those Iraqis who aided the killers of his two sons.
Saddam said that the Iraqis should put aside their differences, and concentrate on driving US troops out of the country.
Quote:
"Victory is at hand, but don't forget that your near-term goal is confined to liberating your country from the forces of occupation."
Adding:
"When you achieve victory and it is close remember you are God's soldiers which means you should show genuine forgiveness and put aside revenge over the spilled blood of the sons of Saddam Hussein.
I call on you to apply justice in your Jihad and not be drawn to recklessness and urge you to be forgiving rather than tough with those who have lost the path."
Meanwhile, the body count continues to rise.
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