It seems that Saddam Hussein could go on trial as early as next month, for his alleged role in a massacre 23 years ago.
That is according to Raid Juhi, chief judge of the Iraq Special Tribunal.
Hussein, if found guilty could then face the death penalty.
Raid Juhi said that the investigation into the July 8 1982 massacre in Dujail, a Shiite village 50 miles north of Baghdad, is complete.
Juhi also said that four other former senior officials would stand trial for the massacre, in which Saddam's security agents allegedly shot dead at least 50 people after a plot to assassinate him was uncovered.
Juhi is quoted as saying that the trial would begin "in August or September, but we would like it to begin before that."
The US is cautious about rushing into a trial, they believe that Iraq must develop a good court and judicial system first.
The US is also concerned that the trial could interfere with the process of writing a constitution, and inflame sectarian tension.
The Iraqi government must finish a draft by August, so that it can hold a referendum on the charter before the December elections.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
The Long Wait For Justice
The Iraqi parliament is beginning to tire of waiting to try former dictator, Saddam Hussein.
he has been held captive for the last 18 months, the parliament are now to debate a bill to reorganise the US-created court tasked with trying Hussein.
The Deputy Speaker, Hussein Shahristani, has told deputies that the first reading of the draft legislation will take place on July 20.
Parliament wishes to commence proceedings, before the elections in October this year.
Some Kurdish and Shiite MPs have suggested that the fact that the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) is controlled by the Americans has slowed up the process of bringing Saddam to trial.
The bill is aimed at silencing those who question the authority of the court, which was set up by the former US administrator Paul Bremer.
It seems that the tribunal's 30 investigating judges are inexperienced, and that some are former Baathists including Raed Juhi, the lead judge questioning Saddam.
Kurdish MP Mahmud Othman is quoted as saying:
"It has been pure theater so far. At the moment, it's all in the hands of America..We look at them as criminals who committed crimes against the Iraqi people, while America looks at them as a source of intelligence."
Saddam's lawyers have questioned the court's impartiality and his detention this long without trial.
he has been held captive for the last 18 months, the parliament are now to debate a bill to reorganise the US-created court tasked with trying Hussein.
The Deputy Speaker, Hussein Shahristani, has told deputies that the first reading of the draft legislation will take place on July 20.
Parliament wishes to commence proceedings, before the elections in October this year.
Some Kurdish and Shiite MPs have suggested that the fact that the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) is controlled by the Americans has slowed up the process of bringing Saddam to trial.
The bill is aimed at silencing those who question the authority of the court, which was set up by the former US administrator Paul Bremer.
It seems that the tribunal's 30 investigating judges are inexperienced, and that some are former Baathists including Raed Juhi, the lead judge questioning Saddam.
Kurdish MP Mahmud Othman is quoted as saying:
"It has been pure theater so far. At the moment, it's all in the hands of America..We look at them as criminals who committed crimes against the Iraqi people, while America looks at them as a source of intelligence."
Saddam's lawyers have questioned the court's impartiality and his detention this long without trial.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
The New Republic of Fear
It seems that, despite the toppling and the imprisonment of Saddam Hussein, Iraqis still live in fear.
Saddam Hussein's Mukhabarat secret police have created a new "republic of fear", former Baathist agents are hunting down those who work for and voice support for the new U.S. backed government.
Many officials and security personnel in the new administration have been killed, in wave of daily attacks.
Saddam's Baathist supporters, created a state modelled on Stalin's Soviet police state; they had planned for an underground war against US occupiers.
Something which the CIA and other intelligence organisations should, had they being doing their job, have known about and planned for.
The primary reason for the rising tide of insurgency, from the former state security, is the fact that the US administration disbanded the Iraqi army; thereby creating a "talent pool" of trained fighters.
The blame for this mess can be laid full square at the feet of those who took the decision to invade Iraq, without having any effective plan as to what to do after they had decapitated the regime.
The Iraqis are now paying for that criminal and irresponsible lacking of planning with their own blood.
Saddam Hussein's Mukhabarat secret police have created a new "republic of fear", former Baathist agents are hunting down those who work for and voice support for the new U.S. backed government.
Many officials and security personnel in the new administration have been killed, in wave of daily attacks.
Saddam's Baathist supporters, created a state modelled on Stalin's Soviet police state; they had planned for an underground war against US occupiers.
Something which the CIA and other intelligence organisations should, had they being doing their job, have known about and planned for.
The primary reason for the rising tide of insurgency, from the former state security, is the fact that the US administration disbanded the Iraqi army; thereby creating a "talent pool" of trained fighters.
The blame for this mess can be laid full square at the feet of those who took the decision to invade Iraq, without having any effective plan as to what to do after they had decapitated the regime.
The Iraqis are now paying for that criminal and irresponsible lacking of planning with their own blood.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Iraq Forces Arrest Ex Army Officer
Iraqi forces have arrested Mizher Taha Ahmed al-Ghannam al-Juburi, an ex-army officer accused of killing and deporting Marsh Arabs during the rule of Saddam Hussein.
The arrest warrant was issued on the basis of testimony that the former intelligence officer, in the army's fourth brigade, killed and deported Marsh Arabs in the south between 1992 and 1996.
Saddam's regime acted against the inhabitants of the marshlands, when opposition militants took refuge among the area's reeds; after the abortive Shiite uprising in the south, following the 1991 Gulf war.
The regime drained most of the marshes and torched the reeds, effectively killing off the way of life of the occupants of the marshes.
The arrest warrant was issued on the basis of testimony that the former intelligence officer, in the army's fourth brigade, killed and deported Marsh Arabs in the south between 1992 and 1996.
Saddam's regime acted against the inhabitants of the marshlands, when opposition militants took refuge among the area's reeds; after the abortive Shiite uprising in the south, following the 1991 Gulf war.
The regime drained most of the marshes and torched the reeds, effectively killing off the way of life of the occupants of the marshes.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Life's Little Luxuries
Saddam Hussein, despite residing in jail, has managed to overcome one US embargo; namely that imposed on Cuban cigars.
Seemingly Saddam Hussein smokes them regularly.
Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghad, sends him the cigars via the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is responsible for maintaining contact between detainees and their families.
Seemingly Saddam Hussein smokes them regularly.
Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghad, sends him the cigars via the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is responsible for maintaining contact between detainees and their families.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Saddam Hussein's Lawyer Resigns
Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer, Ziad al-Khasawneh, has left Saddam Hussein's legal team.
He cites attempts by the team's American members to try to run the defence, and "soft pedal" on the US occupation of Iraq, as being the reasons for his resignation.
Ziad al-Khasawneh reportedly said that Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghad, prefers to have Americans and non-Arabs on the defence team "because she thinks they will win the case and free her father."
Al-Khasawneh is quoted as saying:
"I was resigning because some American lawyers in the defense team want to take control of it and isolate their Arab counterparts,".
The Americans on the team include former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark.
Al-Khasawneh said Clark and Curtis Doebbler, another American lawyer helping defend Saddam, "have often asked me to refrain from criticizing the American occupation of Iraq and the U.S.-backed Iraqi government."
Al-Khasawneh has also accused Saddam's daughter of removing all files related to Saddam's defense from his office. "I was away in Libya when she did all that without my knowledge,".
Saddam's legal team includes 1,500 volunteers and 22 lead lawyers from several countries including; the United States, France, Jordan, Iraq and Libya.
No date has been set for the trial of Saddam.
He cites attempts by the team's American members to try to run the defence, and "soft pedal" on the US occupation of Iraq, as being the reasons for his resignation.
Ziad al-Khasawneh reportedly said that Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghad, prefers to have Americans and non-Arabs on the defence team "because she thinks they will win the case and free her father."
Al-Khasawneh is quoted as saying:
"I was resigning because some American lawyers in the defense team want to take control of it and isolate their Arab counterparts,".
The Americans on the team include former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark.
Al-Khasawneh said Clark and Curtis Doebbler, another American lawyer helping defend Saddam, "have often asked me to refrain from criticizing the American occupation of Iraq and the U.S.-backed Iraqi government."
Al-Khasawneh has also accused Saddam's daughter of removing all files related to Saddam's defense from his office. "I was away in Libya when she did all that without my knowledge,".
Saddam's legal team includes 1,500 volunteers and 22 lead lawyers from several countries including; the United States, France, Jordan, Iraq and Libya.
No date has been set for the trial of Saddam.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Saddam's Security Officer Killed
The body of Assad Abdel Hadi Haidar, a former Iraqi security officer for Saddam Hussein, was found by Egyptian police on Tuesday.
Haidar's body was bound to a chair with his nose and mouth taped; seemingly he died of suffocation.
Police have arrested five Egyptians, including a real estate agent who was helping Haidar to find a house in Cairo, in connection with the crime.
Haidar entered Egypt on June 6 as a businessman, he fled Iraq fearing vengeance from family members of victims of Saddam's regime.
Haidar's body was bound to a chair with his nose and mouth taped; seemingly he died of suffocation.
Police have arrested five Egyptians, including a real estate agent who was helping Haidar to find a house in Cairo, in connection with the crime.
Haidar entered Egypt on June 6 as a businessman, he fled Iraq fearing vengeance from family members of victims of Saddam's regime.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Dodgy Property Deals
The fall of Saddam Hussein has unearthed some dodgy property deals in Iraq.
It was common practice, under the dictatorship of Saddam's Baath party, for the state to strip political opponents and those sentenced to death or prison or deported of their assets.
Now that Saddam has gone, the new regime has allowed people to reclaim their "stolen" property.
The law denies compensation to those who bought contested property at government auctions, and is unclear on what those who have to give back property would get in return.
This has led, not surprisingly to complicated legal disputes as to who owns what.
There have been 77,000 claims, in which about 1,000 final decisions were made with half the applications rejected.
Two favourable rulings from the commission for properties were given to the two cousins of former prime minister, Iyad Allawi.
Commission chief Suhail Saleh was a member of the Baathist party, and is seen by many to be biased in his rulings.
There are other worries as to ownership; the home of former deputy premier Tareq Aziz was taken over by Shiite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, entire blocks in Baghdad's upscale Mansur district occupied by the Iraqi National Congress party of Ahmed Chalabi and several homes and buildings taken over by Allawi's Iraqi National Accord party among others.
Haitham Fadel, the official who compiled the property list, was shot in Baghdad in May 2004 with Chalabi's nephew Salam.
Money and property can be very divisive.
It was common practice, under the dictatorship of Saddam's Baath party, for the state to strip political opponents and those sentenced to death or prison or deported of their assets.
Now that Saddam has gone, the new regime has allowed people to reclaim their "stolen" property.
The law denies compensation to those who bought contested property at government auctions, and is unclear on what those who have to give back property would get in return.
This has led, not surprisingly to complicated legal disputes as to who owns what.
There have been 77,000 claims, in which about 1,000 final decisions were made with half the applications rejected.
Two favourable rulings from the commission for properties were given to the two cousins of former prime minister, Iyad Allawi.
Commission chief Suhail Saleh was a member of the Baathist party, and is seen by many to be biased in his rulings.
There are other worries as to ownership; the home of former deputy premier Tareq Aziz was taken over by Shiite leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, entire blocks in Baghdad's upscale Mansur district occupied by the Iraqi National Congress party of Ahmed Chalabi and several homes and buildings taken over by Allawi's Iraqi National Accord party among others.
Haitham Fadel, the official who compiled the property list, was shot in Baghdad in May 2004 with Chalabi's nephew Salam.
Money and property can be very divisive.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Shootout With Saddam's Bodyguards
There has been a shootout between Syrian security forces and ex members of Saddam Hussein's bodyguard on Mount Qassioun, near Damascus.
A Syrian security officer has reportedly died in the shootout, which happened on Sunday night.
Two members of the group are believed to have been arrested, four policemen were also hurt.
A Syrian security official has been quoted as saying that Monday's clash took place with a "group of people wanted for terrorist crimes... some of whom were former bodyguards of Saddam Hussein".
A Syrian official quoted by Sana identified one captured militant as a Jordanian citizen, Ayed al-Semadi.
Last week, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Syria of allowing insurgents to enter Iraq for attacks on US and government targets.
Syria has denied it is aiding the Iraqi insurgents.
A Syrian security officer has reportedly died in the shootout, which happened on Sunday night.
Two members of the group are believed to have been arrested, four policemen were also hurt.
A Syrian security official has been quoted as saying that Monday's clash took place with a "group of people wanted for terrorist crimes... some of whom were former bodyguards of Saddam Hussein".
A Syrian official quoted by Sana identified one captured militant as a Jordanian citizen, Ayed al-Semadi.
Last week, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Syria of allowing insurgents to enter Iraq for attacks on US and government targets.
Syria has denied it is aiding the Iraqi insurgents.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Best Seller
Despite languishing in a prison cell, as he awaits trial, Saddam Hussein appears to have a best seller on his hands.
It is reported that in Amman's downtown bazaars, the bestselling book these days is Saddam Hussein's bootlegged novel "Get out of here, curse you!"
The book was banned by Jordan, on the grounds that it would harm relations between Jordan and Iraq.
Saddam's book tells the story of Salem, a noble Arab tribesman representing righteousness and Arab nationalism, who defeats his American and Jewish enemies.
The story tells how Salem unites divided Arab tribes in Iraq to defeat Hisquel, a foreign intruder who represents evil.
However, despite the ban, it seems that the novel has become so popular that booksellers say they can't keep up with demand.
One vendor is quoted as saying:
"We are waiting for the book to be published again. Even if it is banned I will ask for copies outside Jordan..I had it before the government banned it but after the ban more people came to look for it,".
As with any product that is banned, as soon as it is banned, people will clamour all the more for it.
Governments never learn, do they?
Portraits of Saddam smiling like a benevolent father figure are also popular in the shops of Amman.
Some regard Saddam as an Arab nationalist leader.
Joost Hiltermann, of the International Crisis Group, is quoted as saying:
"There is a lot of unhappiness in Jordan about what is going on in Iraq..The images of violence and of Saddam in his underpants have reinforced the notion that the US war is illegal and that Americans are in Iraq to humiliate Arabs."
It is reported that in Amman's downtown bazaars, the bestselling book these days is Saddam Hussein's bootlegged novel "Get out of here, curse you!"
The book was banned by Jordan, on the grounds that it would harm relations between Jordan and Iraq.
Saddam's book tells the story of Salem, a noble Arab tribesman representing righteousness and Arab nationalism, who defeats his American and Jewish enemies.
The story tells how Salem unites divided Arab tribes in Iraq to defeat Hisquel, a foreign intruder who represents evil.
However, despite the ban, it seems that the novel has become so popular that booksellers say they can't keep up with demand.
One vendor is quoted as saying:
"We are waiting for the book to be published again. Even if it is banned I will ask for copies outside Jordan..I had it before the government banned it but after the ban more people came to look for it,".
As with any product that is banned, as soon as it is banned, people will clamour all the more for it.
Governments never learn, do they?
Portraits of Saddam smiling like a benevolent father figure are also popular in the shops of Amman.
Some regard Saddam as an Arab nationalist leader.
Joost Hiltermann, of the International Crisis Group, is quoted as saying:
"There is a lot of unhappiness in Jordan about what is going on in Iraq..The images of violence and of Saddam in his underpants have reinforced the notion that the US war is illegal and that Americans are in Iraq to humiliate Arabs."
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