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Iraqi judge: Saddam Hussein will be executed by Saturday
Updated 12/29/2006 12:21 PM ET
BAGHDAD (AP) — Saddam Hussein has been transferred from U.S. custody, his lawyers said, and an Iraqi judge authorized to attend the former dictator's hanging said he would be executed no later than Saturday.
The physical hand-over of Saddam to Iraqi authorities was believed to be one of the last steps before he was to be hanged, although the lawyers' statement did not specifically say Saddam was in Iraqi hands.
"A few minutes ago we received correspondence from the Americans saying that President Saddam Hussein is no longer under the control of U.S. forces," according to the statement faxed to The Associated Press.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has signed the death sentence against Saddam, a government official said. But the official, who refused to be identified by name because he was not authorized to release the information, said that Iraqi authorities were not yet in control of Saddam. "We will get him when the execution is going to be carried out," said the official, who refused to give other details.
The discrepancy could not be explained.
Munir Haddad, a judge on the appeals court that upheld Saddam's death sentence, said "Saddam will be executed today or tomorrow. All the measures have been done."
Haddad is authorized to attend the execution on behalf of the judiciary. "I am ready to attend and there is no reason for delays," Haddad said.
Earlier on Friday, Saddam Hussein's half brothers visited him in his jail cell and he gave them his will and personal belongings, Iraqi officials said Friday, indicating his execution may be approaching. But they said he had yet to be transferred to Iraqi custody.
ON DEADLINE: How soon will Saddam be hanged?
The former president had been at an American military prison where he was expected to remain until the day of his execution, when he was to be transferred to Iraqi authorities.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said "nothing and nobody can abrogate the ruling" upholding Saddam's sentence.
The Iraqi prime minister said those who oppose the execution of Saddam were insulting the honor of his victims. His office said he made the remarks in a meeting with families of people who died during Saddam's rule.
"Our respect for human rights requires us to execute him, and there will be no review or delay in carrying out the sentence," al-Maliki said.
Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said U.S. forces were on high alert.
"They'll obviously take into account social dimensions that could potentially led to an increase in violence which certainly would include carrying out the sentence of Saddam Hussein," Whitman said.
On Thursday, two half brothers visited Saddam in his cell, a member of the former dictator's defense team, Badee Izzat Aref, told The Associated Press by telephone from the United Arab Emirates. He said the former dictator handed them his personal belongings.
A senior commander at the Iraqi defense ministry also confirmed the meeting and said Saddam gave his will to one of his half brothers. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Saddam's lawyers later issued a statement saying the Americans gave permission to one of them to pick up his belongings. The statement did not name the recipient or specify when. However, Raed Juhi, spokesman for the High Tribunal court that convicted Saddam, denied that the former leader's relatives visited him.
An Iraqi appeals court upheld Saddam's death sentence Tuesday for the killing of 148 people who were detained after an attempt to assassinate him in the northern Iraqi city of Dujail in 1982. The court said the former president should be hanged within 30 days.
There have been disagreements among Iraqi officials in recent days as to whether Iraqi law dictates the execution must take place within 30 days and whether President Jalal Talabani and his two deputies have to approve it.
Juhi, the High Tribunal spokesman, has said that with approval from Talabani, Saddam could be put to death within 30 days.
But the president's office sent a letter to al-Maliki on Friday saying the death sentence does not have to be approved by Talabani and his deputies, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The official, who said he had read the letter, said the presidency's opinion was "identical" to that of the appeals court that upheld Saddam's death sentence.
On Thursday, Saddam's chief lawyer issued a plea to international organizations to prevent the U.S. from transferring the ousted dictator to Iraqi authorities, calling him a "prisoner of war."
In his Friday sermon, a mosque preacher in the Shiite holy city of Najaf called Saddam's execution "God's gift to Iraqis."
"Oh, God, you know what Saddam has done! He killed millions of Iraqis in prisons, in wars with neighboring countries and he is responsible for mass graves. Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam," said Sheik Sadralddin al-Qubanji, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, known as SCIRI, the dominant party in al-Maliki's coalition.
With at least 72 more Iraqis killed Thursday in violence, U.S. officials and Iraqis expressed concern about the potential for even worse bloodshed following Saddam's execution.
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Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Updated 12/29/2006 12:21 PM ET
BAGHDAD (AP) — Saddam Hussein has been transferred from U.S. custody, his lawyers said, and an Iraqi judge authorized to attend the former dictator's hanging said he would be executed no later than Saturday.
The physical hand-over of Saddam to Iraqi authorities was believed to be one of the last steps before he was to be hanged, although the lawyers' statement did not specifically say Saddam was in Iraqi hands.
"A few minutes ago we received correspondence from the Americans saying that President Saddam Hussein is no longer under the control of U.S. forces," according to the statement faxed to The Associated Press.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has signed the death sentence against Saddam, a government official said. But the official, who refused to be identified by name because he was not authorized to release the information, said that Iraqi authorities were not yet in control of Saddam. "We will get him when the execution is going to be carried out," said the official, who refused to give other details.
The discrepancy could not be explained.
Munir Haddad, a judge on the appeals court that upheld Saddam's death sentence, said "Saddam will be executed today or tomorrow. All the measures have been done."
Haddad is authorized to attend the execution on behalf of the judiciary. "I am ready to attend and there is no reason for delays," Haddad said.
Earlier on Friday, Saddam Hussein's half brothers visited him in his jail cell and he gave them his will and personal belongings, Iraqi officials said Friday, indicating his execution may be approaching. But they said he had yet to be transferred to Iraqi custody.
ON DEADLINE: How soon will Saddam be hanged?
The former president had been at an American military prison where he was expected to remain until the day of his execution, when he was to be transferred to Iraqi authorities.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said "nothing and nobody can abrogate the ruling" upholding Saddam's sentence.
The Iraqi prime minister said those who oppose the execution of Saddam were insulting the honor of his victims. His office said he made the remarks in a meeting with families of people who died during Saddam's rule.
"Our respect for human rights requires us to execute him, and there will be no review or delay in carrying out the sentence," al-Maliki said.
Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said U.S. forces were on high alert.
"They'll obviously take into account social dimensions that could potentially led to an increase in violence which certainly would include carrying out the sentence of Saddam Hussein," Whitman said.
On Thursday, two half brothers visited Saddam in his cell, a member of the former dictator's defense team, Badee Izzat Aref, told The Associated Press by telephone from the United Arab Emirates. He said the former dictator handed them his personal belongings.
A senior commander at the Iraqi defense ministry also confirmed the meeting and said Saddam gave his will to one of his half brothers. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Saddam's lawyers later issued a statement saying the Americans gave permission to one of them to pick up his belongings. The statement did not name the recipient or specify when. However, Raed Juhi, spokesman for the High Tribunal court that convicted Saddam, denied that the former leader's relatives visited him.
An Iraqi appeals court upheld Saddam's death sentence Tuesday for the killing of 148 people who were detained after an attempt to assassinate him in the northern Iraqi city of Dujail in 1982. The court said the former president should be hanged within 30 days.
There have been disagreements among Iraqi officials in recent days as to whether Iraqi law dictates the execution must take place within 30 days and whether President Jalal Talabani and his two deputies have to approve it.
Juhi, the High Tribunal spokesman, has said that with approval from Talabani, Saddam could be put to death within 30 days.
But the president's office sent a letter to al-Maliki on Friday saying the death sentence does not have to be approved by Talabani and his deputies, a senior government official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The official, who said he had read the letter, said the presidency's opinion was "identical" to that of the appeals court that upheld Saddam's death sentence.
On Thursday, Saddam's chief lawyer issued a plea to international organizations to prevent the U.S. from transferring the ousted dictator to Iraqi authorities, calling him a "prisoner of war."
In his Friday sermon, a mosque preacher in the Shiite holy city of Najaf called Saddam's execution "God's gift to Iraqis."
"Oh, God, you know what Saddam has done! He killed millions of Iraqis in prisons, in wars with neighboring countries and he is responsible for mass graves. Oh God, we ask you to take revenge on Saddam," said Sheik Sadralddin al-Qubanji, a member of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, known as SCIRI, the dominant party in al-Maliki's coalition.
With at least 72 more Iraqis killed Thursday in violence, U.S. officials and Iraqis expressed concern about the potential for even worse bloodshed following Saddam's execution.
_
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
