Those of you with a penchant for collecting uniforms and military memorabilia, may find one of the items for sale at Manion's International Auction House to be of interest.
It is a dress uniform owned by Saddam Hussein.
The uniform will be placed in the company's "gold auction".
John Conway, a representative for Manion's Auction, said:
"This is the second Hussein uniform we have presented for auction since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The first was brought back by an Army NCO and sold for $24K."
The uniform was obtained by an army sergeant, during the first night that US troops gained control of Baghdad International Airport. The uniform was taken from a tailor shop, and was among many suits and outfits designed for Hussein.
The company will donate a percentage of the commission from this uniform to a charitable concern.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Court TV
Court TV will offer an online coverage of Saddam Hussein's trial when it resumes next Monday.
It is scheduled to air from roughly 0900 to 1400 GMT, with on-demand highlight clips also available.
It is scheduled to air from roughly 0900 to 1400 GMT, with on-demand highlight clips also available.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Genocide Trial
Frans van Anraat, a Dutchman, will go on trial on Monday on charges of complicity in genocide.
He is accused of supplying the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein with chemicals used in attacks on Kurdish villages in the 1980s.
He claims that the supplies were legitimate business deals.
It is alleged that the gas was used in attacks on the villages of Halabja, Goptata, Birjinni and Zewa. The Dutch prosecutors claim that these attacks were intended to wipe out the ethnic Kurdish population, in whole or in part, and constitute genocide.
A verdict is expected in late December.
Van Anraat once topped the CIA's most wanted list, and was detained at the request of the US in Italy in 1989. He was released by an Italian judge who ruled the charges were politically motivated.
He is accused of supplying the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein with chemicals used in attacks on Kurdish villages in the 1980s.
He claims that the supplies were legitimate business deals.
It is alleged that the gas was used in attacks on the villages of Halabja, Goptata, Birjinni and Zewa. The Dutch prosecutors claim that these attacks were intended to wipe out the ethnic Kurdish population, in whole or in part, and constitute genocide.
A verdict is expected in late December.
Van Anraat once topped the CIA's most wanted list, and was detained at the request of the US in Italy in 1989. He was released by an Italian judge who ruled the charges were politically motivated.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Saddam Assault Denied
The claim that Saddam Hussein was punched several times, by court officials, after he cursed two Shi'ite Islam saints has been denied by the court officials.
The chief prosecutor, Jaafar al-Mousawi, is quoted as saying:
"No one in the court attacked Saddam or punished him, and we will never allow anyone in the court to harm any of the defendants, whether it is Saddam or someone else..."
Saddam's lawyers have yet to comment on this counterclaim.
The chief prosecutor, Jaafar al-Mousawi, is quoted as saying:
"No one in the court attacked Saddam or punished him, and we will never allow anyone in the court to harm any of the defendants, whether it is Saddam or someone else..."
Saddam's lawyers have yet to comment on this counterclaim.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Saddam's Nephew Wanted
The Iraqi Attorney General, Chathanfar Hmod Al-Jasim, has presented Interpol with an extradition request to bring Omar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's nephew, back from Yemen to Baghdad.
The Iraqi's want him to stand trial for "committing acts of terror".
Omar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti is alleged to have played a leading role, and to have provided financial support, to terrorist organisations.
The Iraqi government said:
"His efforts resulted in many deaths, injuries and destruction of property"
Omar's father, Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti, former director of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, is awaiting trial for committing crimes against humanity.
The Iraqi's want him to stand trial for "committing acts of terror".
Omar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti is alleged to have played a leading role, and to have provided financial support, to terrorist organisations.
The Iraqi government said:
"His efforts resulted in many deaths, injuries and destruction of property"
Omar's father, Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti, former director of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, is awaiting trial for committing crimes against humanity.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Saddam Assaulted
It is reported that during interrogation, Saddam Hussein, was assaulted by his interegators.
Saddam was being questioned about the suppression of the 1991 Shiite uprising. He allegedly hurled an obscenity at two of Shiite Islam's holiest figures.
He was asked about the shrines of the imams Hussein and Abbas, that were targeted by government forces seizing back control of Karbala. It is alleged that at first he pretended at first not to know to whom the investigative judges were referring.
He then swore, at which point two of court's clerks taking notes allegedly lunged at him and started pummeling him with blows.
The beating was stopped, only after the chief judge intervened.
Saddam was allegedly left with a minor bruise to the forehead, the US guards posted outside the makeshift courthouse near Baghdad international airport were said to be amused and opted not to intervene.
It seems that Iraq has still some way to go before it rids itself of the brutality, and habit of brutality, of the past.
Saddam was being questioned about the suppression of the 1991 Shiite uprising. He allegedly hurled an obscenity at two of Shiite Islam's holiest figures.
He was asked about the shrines of the imams Hussein and Abbas, that were targeted by government forces seizing back control of Karbala. It is alleged that at first he pretended at first not to know to whom the investigative judges were referring.
He then swore, at which point two of court's clerks taking notes allegedly lunged at him and started pummeling him with blows.
The beating was stopped, only after the chief judge intervened.
Saddam was allegedly left with a minor bruise to the forehead, the US guards posted outside the makeshift courthouse near Baghdad international airport were said to be amused and opted not to intervene.
It seems that Iraq has still some way to go before it rids itself of the brutality, and habit of brutality, of the past.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Saddam's Trial Still On
Saddam Hussein's trial will be restarted on schedule, on the 28th of November, despite the murder of two of his defence team.
Raid Juhi, one of the judges on the special tribunal trying Saddam, says that the court is ready to appoint a new team if lawyers fail to appear.
This may well be necessary, as Saddam's team have already said that they will withdraw due to inadequate protection.
Juhi is quoted as saying:
"We have many legal experts and lawyers, and (the court) will choose from among them".
Raid Juhi, one of the judges on the special tribunal trying Saddam, says that the court is ready to appoint a new team if lawyers fail to appear.
This may well be necessary, as Saddam's team have already said that they will withdraw due to inadequate protection.
Juhi is quoted as saying:
"We have many legal experts and lawyers, and (the court) will choose from among them".
Monday, November 14, 2005
Saddam's Aide Reported Dead
A Ba'ath party website has stated that Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the deputy of Saddam Hussein is dead.
The statement on the website said:
"On the soil of Arabic Iraq, the soul of Comrade Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri returned to God the Creator on Friday at dawn."
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri was 61 years old, and was deputy chief of the Iraqi armed forces; he was reportedly one of Saddam's most trusted confidants.
Ibrahim was the most senior member of the former regime still at large, and his whereabouts were unknown.
The US military had put a $10M reward on his head.
The statement on the website said:
"On the soil of Arabic Iraq, the soul of Comrade Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri returned to God the Creator on Friday at dawn."
Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri was 61 years old, and was deputy chief of the Iraqi armed forces; he was reportedly one of Saddam's most trusted confidants.
Ibrahim was the most senior member of the former regime still at large, and his whereabouts were unknown.
The US military had put a $10M reward on his head.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Lawyers To Boycott Trial
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?
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?
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.
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