BAGHDAD, Sept 15
(AFP) - Ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein will
likely be tried later this year over the massacre of
Kurds unless he is found guilty and hanged
immediately at the conclusion of a first case
opening in October, a source close to the Iraq's
Special Tribunal said Thursday.
"The case is progressing well," the source said,
referring to accusations against Saddam over the
1987-88 "Anfal" operation when 180,000 people are
reported to have been killed in a brutal campaign to
suppress rebellious Kurds in Iraq's north. |
Former dictator
Saddam Hussein
Photo : AP
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"The
investigating judge has gathered lots of very
important evidence" such as audiotapes and clues
found in mass graves, the source said.
Saddam and seven former henchmen, including his
former vice president and secret police chief, are
to go on trial on October 19 over the 1982 killing
of 143 Shiite Muslims after an attempt on his life
in the village of Dujail.
If they are condemned to death "the sentence must be
carried out 30 days after the exhaustion of all
appeals," the source said.
Asked if it were possible Saddam could face the
hangman immediately after all appeals are exhausted,
the source said: "Certainly, it's a possibility but
it is hard to predict."
Iraq's Kurdish President Jalal Talabani said
recently that Saddam had "confessed" to some of his
alleged crimes and deserves to die "100 times".
The confessions related to "hand-signed orders" by
Saddam concerning the Anfal operation. "There are
tonnes of documents incriminating Saddam Hussein,"
Talabani added.
The tribunal source said Saddam's lawyer, Khalil
Dulaimi, had been given access to all prosecution
documents.
"Dulaimi has had access to his clients whenever he
asked for it since the beginning. By any standards,
attorney and clients have full access to each
other," he added.
"His lawyers can bring international experts,
(Saddam) can seek to have other people to meet with
him, or he can bring other lawyers. No one who
Saddam recognizes as his attorney has been denied
access," he added.
Saddam's lawyers had previously complained about not
been given access to evidence or informed of the
charges against their client who has been in US
custody since his capture in December 2003.
AFP
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