Shaken Saddam sentenced to hang

BAGHDAD – A shaken but defiant Saddam Hussein was sentenced to hang yesterday for crimes against humanity, sparking joy for Shi’ites he oppressed and resentment among his fellow Sunnis across Iraq’s violent sectarian divide.

As mortar rounds crashed onto warring Baghdad neighbourhoods and police reported sporadic clashes despite a curfew on the capital, Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called for unity after the ousted leader was handed “the punishment he deserves”. There was a noticeable silence from minority Sunni leaders.The United States, which set up the court after its invasion toppled Saddam in 2003, called it “a good day for the Iraqi people”.Officials have dismissed suggestions the verdict was timed to aid President George W Bush’s Republicans at elections tomorrow.Defence lawyers, who said they saw little hope from an appeal in the coming months, dismissed it as “victor’s justice”.Saddam (69) initially refused to stand when brought in to hear the verdict from Kurdish chief judge Raouf Abdul Rahman, at a quickfire, 45-minute hearing.When he did, visibly shaken, he yelled the defiant Arab battle cry “Allahu Akbar!” (God is Greatest) and “Long live Iraq” as the judgement was read.”The court has decided to sentence Saddam Hussein al-Majid to be hanged until he is dead for crimes against humanity,” Abdul Rahman said, ignoring Saddam’s earlier bombastic plea that he should face a military firing squad, not the noose.The judge, who earlier ejected former US attorney general Ramsey Clark from the defence panel after he called the court a “mockery of justice”, threw out a court guard for chewing gum and laughing as he stood by the fallen strongman in the dock.Bearded and tieless in a black suit, and clutching a Koran, Saddam called for “forgiveness” for “aggressors” and “traitors”.The former leader has been sentenced to death before, in absentia as an underground militant in 1959.He is being held by US troops and any execution, possibly next year, is likely to happen behind prison walls, like those of other criminals this year.Before then, however, he will continue to stand trial for genocide against the Kurds.He is due back in court tomorrow.His half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti and former judge Awad aL-Bander were also sentenced to death for killing, torturing and deporting hundreds of people from the Shi’ite town of Dujail after Shi’ite gunmen tried to kill Saddam there in 1982.Former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan received a life term.Three Baath party officials were jailed for 15 years and an eighth, minor defendant was acquitted for lack of evidence.Saddam admitted ordering the execution of 148 men, justifying it as a wartime measure against Shi’ite allies of his enemy Iran.International human rights groups, which had called for the case to be heard abroad, said the killing of three defence lawyers, the resignation of a judge over political interference and flaws in evidence meant that it fell short of a fair trial.Nampa-ReutersThere was a noticeable silence from minority Sunni leaders.The United States, which set up the court after its invasion toppled Saddam in 2003, called it “a good day for the Iraqi people”.Officials have dismissed suggestions the verdict was timed to aid President George W Bush’s Republicans at elections tomorrow. Defence lawyers, who said they saw little hope from an appeal in the coming months, dismissed it as “victor’s justice”.Saddam (69) initially refused to stand when brought in to hear the verdict from Kurdish chief judge Raouf Abdul Rahman, at a quickfire, 45-minute hearing.When he did, visibly shaken, he yelled the defiant Arab battle cry “Allahu Akbar!” (God is Greatest) and “Long live Iraq” as the judgement was read.”The court has decided to sentence Saddam Hussein al-Majid to be hanged until he is dead for crimes against humanity,” Abdul Rahman said, ignoring Saddam’s earlier bombastic plea that he should face a military firing squad, not the noose.The judge, who earlier ejected former US attorney general Ramsey Clark from the defence panel after he called the court a “mockery of justice”, threw out a court guard for chewing gum and laughing as he stood by the fallen strongman in the dock.Bearded and tieless in a black suit, and clutching a Koran, Saddam called for “forgiveness” for “aggressors” and “traitors”.The former leader has been sentenced to death before, in absentia as an underground militant in 1959.He is being held by US troops and any execution, possibly next year, is likely to happen behind prison walls, like those of other criminals this year.Before then, however, he will continue to stand trial for genocide against the Kurds.He is due back in court tomorrow.His half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti and former judge Awad aL-Bander were also sentenced to death for killing, torturing and deporting hundreds of people from the Shi’ite town of Dujail after Shi’ite gunmen tried to kill Saddam there in 1982.Former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan received a life term.Three Baath party officials were jailed for 15 years and an eighth, minor defendant was acquitted for lack of evidence.Saddam admitted ordering the execution of 148 men, justifying it as a wartime measure against Shi’ite allies of his enemy Iran.International human rights groups, which had called for the case to be heard abroad, said the killing of three defence lawyers, the resignation of a judge over political interference and flaws in evidence meant that it fell short of a fair trial.Nampa-Reuters