|
Saddam
Hussein's lawyer assassinated by men who used 'government
vehicles'
*** Yet another of the lawyers representing the President of Iraq has been assassinated. This is what happens to people who threaten those who hold power in the new Iraq. Eye-witness reports confirm that the assassins used vehicles owned by the new Iraqi regime. The US government will surely want to move the trial to a location where it can be more carefully controlled, because evidence given by Saddam Hussein could incriminate officials in the US and its closest allies including the UK, along with all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The US and others know that evidence of serious crimes involving senior officials, many of whom are still serving today particularly in the US and the "new Iraq", could be revealed by Saddam Hussein's lawyers before or after the trial even if the whole truth does not emerge in court.*** Calls to move Saddam trial after second lawyer killed Fresh doubts have been raised over the trial of Saddam Hussein after a second defence lawyer was murdered in Baghdad. Adel al-Zubeidi, representing the former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan, was shot dead, and Thamir al-Khuzaie, a fellow member of the defence team, was wounded in an ambush. This was the second killing of lawyers who were acting for Saddam and seven other defendants. Saadoun al-Jananbi was killed last month just days after appearing in the special court trying the case in the Iraqi capital. Defence lawyers said afterwards that they may boycott the proceedings until they are provided with adequate security. Mr Zubeidi and Mr Khuzaie were attacked by three gunmen in Adil, a Sunni neighbourhood. Khalil al-Dulaimi, Saddam's main lawyer, alleged that the shooting was done by "an armed group using government vehicles". He said: "The aim of these organised attacks is to scare Arab and foreign lawyers. We call upon the international community to send a committee to investigate because the situation is becoming unbearable." The case is due to recommence on 28 November. But Richard Goldstone, the first prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia, said that the time had come to move the court. He said: "I don't understand how you can have a fair trial in this atmosphere of insecurity with bombs going off. It is just impossible to have a public trial if you can't guarantee the safety of witnesses, judges or defence counsel." SOURCE The Independent, "Calls to move Saddam trial after second lawyer killed", 9 November 2005. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article325753.ece FURTHER READING BBC News, "Saddam lawyers threaten boycott", 9 November 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4421912.stm The chief lawyer for Saddam Hussein has said the former Iraqi leader's defence team will cease dealings with the court trying him for crimes against humanity. ... Khalil al-Dulaimi said that defence lawyers were unable work when their safety was threatened. He also said defence witnesses were too frightened to come forward. "The defence committee has decided to consider the 28 November date [for the next hearing] cancelled and illegitimate," Mr Dulaimi told Reuters. Mr Dulaimi also told reporters that he blamed US-led forces in Iraq for the killings. "The occupation forces are responsible for this criminal incident, and they bear the responsibility of preserving the lives of the people regardless of their identity." .. Complete archives at http://www.sitbot.net/ Please let us stay on topic and be civil. OM
SPONSORED LINKS
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
|
