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Saddam's "morale" collapses under weight
of charges against him, says judge
5.6.2005
Saturday, June 04 |
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Saddam Hussein's morale has
plummeted due to the gravity of the war crimes
charges he faces, according to comments published
Saturday from the chief investigating judge trying
the former Iraqi president.
Raid Juhi, head of the Iraqi Special Tribunal set up
to try Saddam, also said the ousted president and
some of the 11 other detained former regime figures
are facing "12 cases" that carry punishments from
life in jail to the death penalty.
"The ousted president has suffered a collapse in his
morale because he understands the extent of the
charges against him and because he's certain that he
will stand tribal before an impartial court," Juhi
told the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in
an interview published Saturday.
Saddam, who is being held in a U.S.-run detention
facility in Baghdad, was captured in December 2003
and faces charges including killing rival
politicians during his 30-year rule, gassing Kurds,
invading Kuwait and suppressing Kurdish and Shiite
uprisings in 1991.
No date has been set for the start of Saddam's
trial, but Juhi reiterated comments made last week
by President Jalal Talabani to CNN that the former
dictator was expected to face the tribunal within
two months.
"In some instances, Saddam will be tried alone and
others where he will be tried with former regime
figures," he added.
Saddam's lawyer, Khalil al-Duleimi, rejected Juhi's
comments, telling The Associated Press that his
client was in high spirits and that he was not aware
of the 12 cases the judge referred to.
"The last time I met Saddam was in late April and
his spirits were very high," al-Duleimi said.
www.canada.com |
Photo : Saddam, AP
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