The trial of Saddam Hussein is scheduled to restart on the 28th. However, this date may have to be changed.
It is reported that Saddam Hussein's defence team are asking for international security guarantees, after the murder of the second member of their team on Tuesday.
The lawyers are asking for a cancellation of the second day of hearings, set for November 28.
Lead counsel Khalil Al Dulaimi is quoted as saying:
"We're facing daily threats and these threats prevent us from going to our offices and the court and from interviewing the witnesses.
We call on the international community, the UN Security Council, the United States and all those involved to work on scrapping the criminal court as illegitimate, and also to pressure it to release President Saddam Hussein and his legitimate leadership team.
The defence committee has decided to consider the Nov. 28 date cancelled and illegitimate."
The question is, who is behind the murders?
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Another Defence Lawyer Killed
It seems that working as a defence lawyer in the Saddam Hussein trial is not a safe occupation.
Adel al-Zubeidi, who was representing former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, was shot to death and attorney Thamir al-Khuzaie was wounded in an ambush by 3 gunmen in a speeding car yesterday.
This is the second assassination of a lawyer associated with the trial, Saadoun al-Janabi was abducted and killed on 20th October. The defence team were already worried about their security, and had announced that they would not cooperate with the special court trying Saddam until security was assured.
Saddam's chief lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, blamed the government for Tuesday's attack; he claimed that the assassins had used government vehicles.
Quote:
"The aim of these organized attacks is to scare Arab and foreign lawyers. We call upon the international community, on top of them the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to send an investigative committee because the situation is unbearable."
He has requested that Saddam and his colleagues be moved to a neutral country.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said that Iraqi government needs "to reassess whether the conditions guaranteeing rights of every defendant exist."
Adding:
"It is clear that whatever the government is doing is not working and is not adequate. They have to go back and figure out how to create conditions necessary for a fair trail, above all the safety of the defense team."
It is now being questioned as to whether the trial will resume on 28th November, as had been originally planned.
Adel al-Zubeidi, who was representing former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, was shot to death and attorney Thamir al-Khuzaie was wounded in an ambush by 3 gunmen in a speeding car yesterday.
This is the second assassination of a lawyer associated with the trial, Saadoun al-Janabi was abducted and killed on 20th October. The defence team were already worried about their security, and had announced that they would not cooperate with the special court trying Saddam until security was assured.
Saddam's chief lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, blamed the government for Tuesday's attack; he claimed that the assassins had used government vehicles.
Quote:
"The aim of these organized attacks is to scare Arab and foreign lawyers. We call upon the international community, on top of them the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to send an investigative committee because the situation is unbearable."
He has requested that Saddam and his colleagues be moved to a neutral country.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, said that Iraqi government needs "to reassess whether the conditions guaranteeing rights of every defendant exist."
Adding:
"It is clear that whatever the government is doing is not working and is not adequate. They have to go back and figure out how to create conditions necessary for a fair trail, above all the safety of the defense team."
It is now being questioned as to whether the trial will resume on 28th November, as had been originally planned.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Heads Start To Roll
Whilst the world awaits the restart of Saddam Hussein's trial, others are now being judged and found guilty for associating with him.
Natwar Singh, India's foreign minister, was stripped of his post yesterday; over allegations that he benefited illegally from the UN oil-for-food program in Iraq.
He is the first head, of many I suspect, that will roll as a result of the fall out from the Volcker Report that revealed massive corruption in the effort to help Iraqis suffering under sanctions.
Volcker, has accused more than 2,200 companies and prominent politicians worldwide of colluding with Saddam Hussein's regime to milk the oil-for-food program of $1.8BN in kickbacks and illicit surcharges.
The oil-for-food program, theoretically, allowed Iraq to sell limited and then unlimited quantities of oil; as long as most of the money was used to buy humanitarian goods to help ordinary Iraqis cope with UN sanctions, imposed after Saddam's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
Needless to say, Saddam's government chose all the oil buyers and goods suppliers. A clear control risk, that the UN had they be competent/honest should have stopped.
India's Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, demoted Singh to minister without portfolio.
Singh and the ruling Congress party of India are alleged in the report to have benefited from the $64BN oil-for-food program, they are named as a "non-contractual beneficiary."
We can expect further high profile casualties in the coming weeks and months.
Benon Sevan, the program's executive director, is being investigated for allegedly accepting kickbacks.
French judges are investigating 10 French officials, including former UN ambassador Jean-Bernard Merimee, and business leaders under suspicion.
It seems to me that the UN was "naive" at best to think that this program would work, without the appropriate regulatory checks and balances. I turst that heads will roll there too.
Natwar Singh, India's foreign minister, was stripped of his post yesterday; over allegations that he benefited illegally from the UN oil-for-food program in Iraq.
He is the first head, of many I suspect, that will roll as a result of the fall out from the Volcker Report that revealed massive corruption in the effort to help Iraqis suffering under sanctions.
Volcker, has accused more than 2,200 companies and prominent politicians worldwide of colluding with Saddam Hussein's regime to milk the oil-for-food program of $1.8BN in kickbacks and illicit surcharges.
The oil-for-food program, theoretically, allowed Iraq to sell limited and then unlimited quantities of oil; as long as most of the money was used to buy humanitarian goods to help ordinary Iraqis cope with UN sanctions, imposed after Saddam's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
Needless to say, Saddam's government chose all the oil buyers and goods suppliers. A clear control risk, that the UN had they be competent/honest should have stopped.
India's Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, demoted Singh to minister without portfolio.
Singh and the ruling Congress party of India are alleged in the report to have benefited from the $64BN oil-for-food program, they are named as a "non-contractual beneficiary."
We can expect further high profile casualties in the coming weeks and months.
Benon Sevan, the program's executive director, is being investigated for allegedly accepting kickbacks.
French judges are investigating 10 French officials, including former UN ambassador Jean-Bernard Merimee, and business leaders under suspicion.
It seems to me that the UN was "naive" at best to think that this program would work, without the appropriate regulatory checks and balances. I turst that heads will roll there too.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Saddam's Guard On The Run
Isaac Meti Yosef Jago, one of Saddam Hussein's former palace bodyguards, is reportedly on the run in Wellington after allegedly defrauding an Auckland doctor of $129,500.
Jago allegedly tricked an Iraqi doctor, Haider Jasim, and his wife into handing over a cheque to buy a Mercedes.
Dr Jasim was approached by Jago offering a deal on a new S500 Mercedes from Auckland luxury car dealer, Coutts Cars.
He claimed that he could get a $55K discount on the car.
Jago was given a cheque for $129,500 made out to Coutts Car Services, the name he specified. Dr Jasim was given a receipt, and an agreement for sale of the car with Coutts Cars' name and stamp on it.
Allegedly Jago had opened a Kiwibank account, under the name Coutts Car Services, and had banked the cheque and then withdrawn all the money two days later.
Jago's landlord said he left for Wellington two weeks ago. Three men had collected his furniture.
Jago allegedly tricked an Iraqi doctor, Haider Jasim, and his wife into handing over a cheque to buy a Mercedes.
Dr Jasim was approached by Jago offering a deal on a new S500 Mercedes from Auckland luxury car dealer, Coutts Cars.
He claimed that he could get a $55K discount on the car.
Jago was given a cheque for $129,500 made out to Coutts Car Services, the name he specified. Dr Jasim was given a receipt, and an agreement for sale of the car with Coutts Cars' name and stamp on it.
Allegedly Jago had opened a Kiwibank account, under the name Coutts Car Services, and had banked the cheque and then withdrawn all the money two days later.
Jago's landlord said he left for Wellington two weeks ago. Three men had collected his furniture.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Officers From Saddam's Army To Re-enlist
The Iraqi government has called for the return of junior officers from Saddam Hussein's disbanded army to join up again.
This directly contradicts the American directive, issued in 2003.
The rationale being that the current security forces in Iraq need to be boosted.
Former officers, up to the rank of major, are eligible for reinstatement by applying in November at recruitment centres in six cities across Iraq.
The dissolution of the 400,000 Iraqi Army, in May 2003, is widely regarded by many to have been a terrible mistake.
This directly contradicts the American directive, issued in 2003.
The rationale being that the current security forces in Iraq need to be boosted.
Former officers, up to the rank of major, are eligible for reinstatement by applying in November at recruitment centres in six cities across Iraq.
The dissolution of the 400,000 Iraqi Army, in May 2003, is widely regarded by many to have been a terrible mistake.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
The House of Saddam
Dictators, especially fallen dictators, make excellent subjects for films and TV.
Saddam Hussein is no exception, the BBC are planning to make a TV drama about his rise and fall.
The title of the drama is expected to be "House of Saddam", and will focus on how Saddam and his entourage seized power and held on to it for so long.
It will begin with his rise to power in Iraq in the late 70's and follow the story through until his capture, hiding in a hole in the ground, after the overthrow of his regime in December 2003.
The drama will tell Saddam's story from the perspective of Saddam's inner circle, rather than a western perspective.
The writer, Alex Holmes, seems from his quotes to be rather enamoured of Saddam:
"It's more to do with the fall and why he failed. He had a vision, which was to create a great Arab nation and write himself into the history books as a great leader who would be remembered in hundreds of years time.
But his own flaws and the tactics these failings forced him to rely on meant he never came near to achieving this vision, and instead dragged his country into misery and pain.
I want to tell the story from the perspective of the people inside his inner circle and understand how they saw the world and why they did what they did."
Adding:
"We are trying to understand their world and reassure them that we want to tell the story from their perspective - from the inside out, not a western viewpoint."
The four part drama is expected to be aired in 2006.
Saddam Hussein is no exception, the BBC are planning to make a TV drama about his rise and fall.
The title of the drama is expected to be "House of Saddam", and will focus on how Saddam and his entourage seized power and held on to it for so long.
It will begin with his rise to power in Iraq in the late 70's and follow the story through until his capture, hiding in a hole in the ground, after the overthrow of his regime in December 2003.
The drama will tell Saddam's story from the perspective of Saddam's inner circle, rather than a western perspective.
The writer, Alex Holmes, seems from his quotes to be rather enamoured of Saddam:
"It's more to do with the fall and why he failed. He had a vision, which was to create a great Arab nation and write himself into the history books as a great leader who would be remembered in hundreds of years time.
But his own flaws and the tactics these failings forced him to rely on meant he never came near to achieving this vision, and instead dragged his country into misery and pain.
I want to tell the story from the perspective of the people inside his inner circle and understand how they saw the world and why they did what they did."
Adding:
"We are trying to understand their world and reassure them that we want to tell the story from their perspective - from the inside out, not a western viewpoint."
The four part drama is expected to be aired in 2006.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Saddam's Secret Exile Plan
It seems that Saddam Hussein had secretly accepted a last-minute plan to go into exile to avert the 2003 Iraq invasion.
However, it is reported that Arab leaders vetoed the proposal.
The UAE President, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, made the proposal for Saddam to go into exile at an emergency Arab summit weeks before the invasion began in March 2003.
However, the Arab League refused to consider the initiative; even though the US had indicated that it supported the idea.
I wonder if they now regret their decision?
However, it is reported that Arab leaders vetoed the proposal.
The UAE President, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, made the proposal for Saddam to go into exile at an emergency Arab summit weeks before the invasion began in March 2003.
However, the Arab League refused to consider the initiative; even though the US had indicated that it supported the idea.
I wonder if they now regret their decision?
Friday, October 28, 2005
Request To Move Trial To The Hague
Najib al-Nawimi, a defence lawyer for Saddam Hussein, has written to the Secretary General of The UN Kofi Annan asking for the trial to be moved to The Hague.
He additionally asked that the Iraqi judges replaced by foreign ones.
Quote:
"We submit to you our request for your involvement and your good office in the present circumstances to call upon the US authority and the present government of Iraq to review the legal status of the present court and to reallocate the present court outside Iraq, i.e. The Hague, Netherlands."
He asked for the court to be given "independent and impartial international judges", and for Saddam and his co-defendants to be treated as prisoners of war.
Nawimi noted that prosecutors "did not hand over to the defence team a copy of the accusation list, neither granted us a proper access to our clients nor to have sufficient time as we had requested (for) three months,".
H also vented his worries over the safety of the defence team, in the light of the murder of Saadun Janabi.
Quote:
"We are in a very dangerous situation where the present Iraqi government has no control over our security to attend and participate in such a trial."
He additionally asked that the Iraqi judges replaced by foreign ones.
Quote:
"We submit to you our request for your involvement and your good office in the present circumstances to call upon the US authority and the present government of Iraq to review the legal status of the present court and to reallocate the present court outside Iraq, i.e. The Hague, Netherlands."
He asked for the court to be given "independent and impartial international judges", and for Saddam and his co-defendants to be treated as prisoners of war.
Nawimi noted that prosecutors "did not hand over to the defence team a copy of the accusation list, neither granted us a proper access to our clients nor to have sufficient time as we had requested (for) three months,".
H also vented his worries over the safety of the defence team, in the light of the murder of Saadun Janabi.
Quote:
"We are in a very dangerous situation where the present Iraqi government has no control over our security to attend and participate in such a trial."
Oil For Food Scandal
It seems that over 2000 international companies, and many well known politicians, had a hand in illegally supporting Saddam Hussein.
This is the conclusion of the final report on the UN oil-for-food programme.
The report runs to 623 pages, and exposes the global scam that allegedly involved such companies as DaimlerChrysler and Siemens.
The report shows that the $64BN programme was used by Saddam to prop up his regime, at the expense of his own people.
The UN and member countries of the UN are blamed for allowing this corruption to go unchecked for years.
Paul Volcker, a former US Federal Reserve chairman who led the investigation, said that the report underscored the urgent need to reform the United Nations.
Companies from Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Belarus, Syria, Canada and many other places paid illegal kickbacks. Many businesses in the developing world made large payments to get humanitarian contracts.
The question is, will these people be standing trial with Saddam?
I won't be holding my breath.
This is the conclusion of the final report on the UN oil-for-food programme.
The report runs to 623 pages, and exposes the global scam that allegedly involved such companies as DaimlerChrysler and Siemens.
The report shows that the $64BN programme was used by Saddam to prop up his regime, at the expense of his own people.
The UN and member countries of the UN are blamed for allowing this corruption to go unchecked for years.
Paul Volcker, a former US Federal Reserve chairman who led the investigation, said that the report underscored the urgent need to reform the United Nations.
Companies from Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Belarus, Syria, Canada and many other places paid illegal kickbacks. Many businesses in the developing world made large payments to get humanitarian contracts.
The question is, will these people be standing trial with Saddam?
I won't be holding my breath.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Lawyers Stop Work
The lawyers acting for Saddam Hussein have stopped working with the Iraqi court hearing the case, in response to the murder of one of their colleagues.
The lawyers demand that the Iraqi government provide them with 15 bodyguards each.
Apparently, both sides in the dispute are now negotiating terms that will satisfy both the court and the defence team.
The lawyers also claimed that the rights of Saddam, and his seven co-defendants, were being violated. Something I am sure that Saddam never worried about, when he was in charge of the "justice system".
Part of the reason for this "downing of tools", aside from fear for their lives, may be a tactical ploy; designed to delay the trial for as long as possible, until Iraq is involved in a fully fledged civil war.
That being the case, holding the trial would be all but impossible.
The lawyers demand that the Iraqi government provide them with 15 bodyguards each.
Apparently, both sides in the dispute are now negotiating terms that will satisfy both the court and the defence team.
The lawyers also claimed that the rights of Saddam, and his seven co-defendants, were being violated. Something I am sure that Saddam never worried about, when he was in charge of the "justice system".
Part of the reason for this "downing of tools", aside from fear for their lives, may be a tactical ploy; designed to delay the trial for as long as possible, until Iraq is involved in a fully fledged civil war.
That being the case, holding the trial would be all but impossible.
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