Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Saddam verdict delayed
Legal
The verdict in the first trial of Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity will not be issued as expected on October 16, the chief prosecutor has said. The session on that date will instead see the presentation of more defense arguments, prosecutor Jaafar al-Mussawi said. Saddam and seven co-defendants face possible execution by hanging if found guilty on charges of crimes against humanity over a crackdown on Shiites in the town of Dujail launched in 1982. A five-judge panel will decide the ruling by a majority vote. The judges adjourned July 27 to consider their ruling, and had been expected to announce it Oct. 16. "Politically, (the judges) are not ready (to rule) because of their fear of the insurgency. Procedurally they are not ready because they might have to execute him before the next trial is completed," said Monasebian, an international law professor at New Jersey's Seton Hall University. "And thirdly they are not ready (because) they haven't reviewed the evidence." Both Iran - who has filed complaints against Saddam - and the U.S. have pushed for a speedy resumption to what has turned into a long drawn out trial.
