(UPDATE: Saddam executed) Saddam to be hanged by Sunday

[Ottomaton]

source

quote:

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Saddam to be hanged by Sunday
Ex-dictator’s execution expected to be carried out by start of Eid holiday

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, sentenced to death for his role in 148 killings in 1982, will have his sentence carried out by Sunday, NBC News reported Thursday. According to a U.S. military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity, Saddam will be hanged before the start of the Eid religious holiday, which begins this Sunday.

The hanging could take place as early as Friday, NBC’s Richard Engel reported.

The U.S. military received a formal request from the Iraqi government to transfer Saddam to Iraqi authorities, NBC reported on Thursday, which is one of the final steps required before his execution. His sentence, handed down last month, ordered that he be hanged within 30 days.

Earlier Thursday, Saddam’s chief lawyer implored world leaders to prevent the United States from handing over the ousted leader to Iraqi authorities for execution, saying the former dictator should enjoy protection from his enemies as a “prisoner of war.”

“According to the international conventions, it is forbidden to hand a prisoner of war to his adversary,” Saddam’s lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, said in Amman, Jordan.

“I urge all the international and legal organizations, the United Nations secretary-general, the Arab League and all the leaders of the world to rapidly prevent the American administration from handing the president to the Iraqi authorities,” he told The Associated Press.

Meets with half-brothers
Saddam met with two of his half-brothers on Thursday and passed on personal messages to his family, a lawyer said.

Badie Aref, one of Saddam's lawyers, said the rare meeting with maternal half-brothers Sabawi and Watban Ibrahim Hassanal-Tikriti, who are in U.S. custody, was at the request of the ousted Iraqi leader and took place inside his heavily guarded prison cell in Baghdad.

Aref said Saddam was in very high spirits and had sensed “something was happening relating to the sentence” when prison guards took away a small radio he had been given several months ago.

“He met Sabawi and Watban and gave them letters to his family in anticipation.... He is clearly unaware of the details of what is happening around him and prepared to give his life as a martyr to his country,” Aref told Reuters by telephone.

Aref said prison sources who told him of the family meeting said Saddam was aware of an appeals court decision to uphold his death sentence for crimes against humanity during his 24-year rule.

“He was in very high spirits and clearly readying himself,” Aref said during a visit to Dubai.

“He told them that he was happy he would meet his death at the hands of his enemies and be a martyr and not just languish in prison in oblivion.”

Aref said he was unsure if Saddam's third half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, who was sentenced to death along with the ousted leader, saw Saddam.

Fears that handover may spark violence
An official close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said that Saddam would remain in a U.S. military prison until he is handed over to Iraqi authorities on the day of his execution. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to address the media.

A top government official disputed the court’s ruling that Saddam must be hanged within 30 days, saying the execution should be held after that time period. The comment comes amid debate over other legal procedures such as whether the presidency is required to approve the execution.

Cardinal Renato Martino, Pope Benedict XVI’s top prelate for justice issues and a former Vatican envoy to the U.N., condemned the death sentence in a newspaper interview published Thursday, saying capital punishment goes against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

After his sentence was given, Louise Arbour, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, urged Iraq to ensure a fair appeals process and to refrain from executing Saddam even if the sentence is upheld.

Some international legal observers and human rights groups have also called Saddam’s trial unfair because of alleged interference by the Shiite-dominated government.

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[insane man]

great timing. during the hajj. this isn't inflamatory. couldn't wait a week?

ps: hows slobodan doing these?

[insane man]

these days.

[Rocket River]

Originally Posted by insane man great timing. during the hajj. this isn't inflamatory. couldn't wait a week? ps: hows slobodan doing these?

I agree
I hope doing it near a Holiday . . .a religious Holiday
does not make the situation worse

I think in this case the lethal injection in a quiet area
make his death as unremarkable as the man himself
don't make a spectacle of it . . .don't make an event

Rocket River

[jo mama]

Originally Posted by Rocket River I agree I hope doing it near a Holiday . . .a religious Holiday does not make the situation worse

the timing has more to do w/ the upcomming state of the union address than any religious holiday.

[Surfguy]

Originally Posted by jo mama the timing has more to do w/ the upcomming state of the union address than any religious holiday.

Man, if Bush goes into a whole spiel about how justice was done, then I'm going to puke for the next seven days afterward.

[jo mama]

Originally Posted by Surfguy Man, if Bush goes into a whole spiel about how justice was done, then I'm going to puke for the next seven days afterward.

than get ready, b/c if they do execute him before the s.o.t.u. than i promise that is all you will hear about.

[hotballa]

Originally Posted by insane man great timing. during the hajj. this isn't inflamatory. couldn't wait a week?

I think the strategy is to get them so fired during haji that more pilgrims get killed than usual...one less potential terrorist, I mean only a psycho would travel halfway round the world to participate in an annual human stampede that has killed so many already.

[pirc1]

He is certainly deserving of that, so let it be done. But I bet his followers would take it out on the civilians, oh well.

[A_3PO]

The sooner this is done the better. Forget appeals, forget hand-wringing and forget the charges of unfairness with his trial. Just do it and get rid of the guy. Then we can get past the memorials from his supporters and the micro-examination of his legacy by the western media and everyone can focus on trying to make the best out of the complete (made in America) disaster still known as Iraq.

[olliez]

Wow ! I am not sure if this is such a brilliant idea to hang the guy high so soon

[orbb]

Originally Posted by A_3PO The sooner this is done the better. Forget appeals, forget hand-wringing and forget the charges of unfairness with his trial. Just do it and get rid of the guy. Then we can get past the memorials from his supporters and the micro-examination of his legacy by the western media and everyone can focus on trying to make the best out of the complete (made in America) disaster still known as Iraq.

an understatement. executing saddam solves nothing... but makes everything much much worse. Dude could have been made to go through a 30 year appeal or sth, effectively life imprisonment.

[rodrick_98]

i heard it was gonna be broadcast in iraq, and online.... anyone know where?

[pirc1]

Originally Posted by rodrick_98 i heard it was gonna be broadcast in iraq, and online.... anyone know where?

It is PPV live, order from your local cable company for $50.

[ChrisBosh]

There is already chaos in Iraq, my brother’s friend moved back to Iraq from Canada to help rebuild the country (currently working for some U.S contractors)...his two brothers were killed two weeks ago…supposedly the gunmen had presented an ultimatum of either them giving money or leaving the farm land they lived on. The brothers chose the money option; in return they were shot to death.

I don’t think the Saddam hanging will cause things to get worse, things are already as bad as they can get, a civil war is the next step…you don’t even hear about half the killings/murders that occur…

[olliez]

Why ? Why hang him now ? New Year celebration ?

[robbie380]

Originally Posted by olliez Why ? Why hang him now ? New Year celebration ?

is there any reason to wait?

[olliez]

Originally Posted by robbie380 is there any reason to wait?

The average length of Death Row inmate in USA is 10 years 4 months 6 days.

BTW, how did you get the title "random idiot"?

[Air Langhi]

They should have a public execution like they did in old days. Maybe they should get get guillotine. What was the point of the entire trail process the man has done some bad things, but he should be put in jail and made to contemplate what he has done instead of the easy way out.

[SLrocket]

i honestly dont care lol