Saddam wants death by firing squad

[motivez]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A thinner but combative Saddam Hussein appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since his hunger strike and hospitalization and asks to be executed by firing squad if the court convicts him and sentences him to death.

Saddam also complained that he had been brought to the chamber against his will and rejecting the tribunal as an agent of the U.S. occupation.

"The Americans insisted that I come against my will. This is not fair," Saddam told the chief judge.

The ousted president was then allowed to make a statement, beginning with a verse from the Quran, in which he challenged the validity and impartiality of the court which could sentence him to death by hanging.

Saddam and seven co-defendants have been on trial since Oct. 19 in the killing and torture of Shiites in Dujail following a 1982 assassination attempt against him there. The prosecution has asked for the death penalty for Saddam and two of the seven others.

"If you were a real Iraqi, you would know that your country is going through extraordinary conditions," Saddam said. "We not only resist this occupation. We do not acknowledge it. We do not acknowledge all the decisions it has made, including appointing the so-called government and this court you represent."

Chief Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman interrupted him, telling him "you were not brought here against your will. Here's the medical report ... and it indicates that you are in good shape."

"I didn't say I was ill," Saddam snapped back. "I was on a hunger strike."

Saddam last attended the proceedings on June 19 when chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi asked the court to impose the death penalty on the former ruler for his role in the deaths of Shiite Muslims in Dujail following a 1982 assassination attempt against him.

The hunger strike and the lawyers' boycott followed last month's kidnap-slaying of defense attorney Khamis al-Obeidi, the third defense attorney slain since the trial began. The defense has accused Shiite militias for the killing.

During his remarks, Saddam also objected to having a court-appointed attorney deliver the final summation on his behalf. The replacement was appointed after the regular defense team boycotted the proceedings, claiming bias by the court and to press demands for better security for its members.

"Where are your lawyers," the judge asked. "They're staying outside in front of the TV screens and inciting violence. Those are lawyers? Having millions of dinars? Listen Saddam Hussein, your lawyers have millions of dinars and are inciting violence."

As the court-appointed lawyer began to speak, Saddam interrupted him.

"You are my enemy. Who appointed you?" he asked. "I challenge you to read this on your own. He probably didn't even write this. The American agent, the spy probably wrote this for him."

During the summation, the court-appointed lawyer, whose identity was kept secret for security reasons, said the documents and witnesses presented by the prosecution did not tie Saddam personally to any killings and torture of the Dujail Shiites.

"Instead they refer to 'Saddam the tyrant,"Saddam the killer' ... and such references that reflect being written by people who are not impartial," the lawyer said.

"The documents lack any details when it comes to a specific role for Saddam in Dujail in 1982. There is no proof that when he was president he visited Dujail after the assassination attempt. There's no proof he was there when the detentions happened," the lawyer added.

With Saddam, the court has heard six of the eight final summations. After the final one is presented, the court will adjourn to consider a verdict, possibly in mid-August.

Saddam is due to stand trial Aug. 21 in a second case - the bloody crackdown on Iraqi Kurds in the 1980s.

I find it interesting that we don't really seem to care much about ensuring this trial is impartial or fair or safe. If we're supposed to be so much better than he was, isn't it in our best interest to show that we want him to get a fair trial even if ultimately he will be found guilty?

The horrid security situation in Iraq alone should have been grounds to move it elsewhere I think. Having defense lawyers constantly killed should have prompted a halt to the trial until real security could be provided for them.

Why didn't we send him to the Hague again?

[Kytro]

Saddam is on trial for being Saddam, really.

[ballz2wallz]

hang him

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by Kytro

Saddam is on trial for being Saddam, really.

:rly:

[Kytro]

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

:rly:

Yep, but this sort of thing happens when one country invades another.

If they want to use international Law, they need to use an international court.

Otherwise they can say Saddam broke any number of laws.


I don't particulary care, other than I am against the death penalty.

[Donkey®]

I hope our current "friends" are looking at this and see that they may not be our "friends" forever.

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by Donkey®

I hope our current "friends" are looking at this and see that they need to remain our "friends" forever.

fixed

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by Donkey®

I hope our current "friends" are looking at this and see that they should have never been our "friends"

fixed

[WickedLou9]

Originally Posted by Donkey®

I hope our current "friends" are looking at this and see that Miller Lite really does taste grate and is less filling to boot.

I wanted to get in on the fixing thing too. I didn't want to feel left out.

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I wanted to get in on the fixing thing too. I didn't want to feel left out.

[willis]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Originally Posted by Donkey®

I hope our current "friends" are looking at this and see that Miller Lite really does taste great and is less filling to boot.

I wanted to get in on the fixing thing too. I didn't want to feel left out.

fixed..

As to the original article. It's depressing how no-one cares about the trial and it is assumed he will be found guilty / put to death. And I really don't get why the trial is being done by tribunal in iraq instead of turning saddam over to an international court so we could at least appear to have some impartiality..

[archangel003]

If he was tried at the Hague he probably wouldn't even have had his first hearing yet. Milosevic died during his trial the fucking thing took so long.

[beez]

It's a show trial. Nobody cares because the outcome is known. Does anyone really think he would have been put on a trial with such publicity if the people who were making a spectacle out of it weren't assured of the outcome?

[DosEquis]

That saddam.. gosh.. such a drama queen. Ranting and raving in court like its judge judy.. 'death by firing squad'..whatever.

[JaJae]

If he gets sentenced to death he should die in the worst way possible. Not how he wants to.

[Thorgrim]

They should have shot him the moment they found him

Now we have to drive the entire international legal system through the mud like some sick joke

It's a kangaroo court just like Stalin's

What ever happened to the values of "order and the rule of law"?

Ah I forgot we are all whores, and this will make the best campaign soundbyte which will elect the politician who will award the contract who will get the lobbyist check to run another soundbyte...a perfect circle

[thomez]

I wonder how many millions we have spent on this joke trial...

[Diesel66]

Firing squad is an honorable death. Hang him by his feet in Kurdistan

[IminWonderland]

Let's put him in a pit with hungry Lions.

I think we should bring back some good old Roman means of justice. At least that way we can be entertained by it too.

[JaJae]

I'd be ok with a firing squad if the shooters were blind folded and they got to keep firing until he was dead.