Saddam's family demands international trial for ousted leader

AP

[kattracks]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Saddam Hussein's family wants the former leader to be tried by an international court instead of a special tribunal set up by the U.S.-installed Iraqi Governing Council, one of his daughters said Tuesday.

Raghad Saddam Hussein said her father appeared sedated in footage released Sunday by the U.S.-led occupation authority after his capture near his hometown of Tikrit.

"Every honest person who knows Saddam know that he is firm and powerful. Saddam was tranquilized when captured," she said in an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television station.

"He would be a lion even when caged," she said.

Raghad and her sister Rana are living in Amman, Jordan, where they were given asylum in July.

She said the family would appoint an attorney to try to contact Saddam, whose whereabouts have not been released. U.S. authorities say they are interrogating him at a secure location.

Raghad told Al-Arabiya that the family wanted her father to be tried by an international tribunal, rather than a special court set up last week by the 25-member Governing Council to deal with crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Saddam and other members of his regime.

"We demand a fair and legal trial, not one held by the Governing Council which was appointed by the occupier," Raghad said.

"It should be fair and international. We should have the right to defend our father legally," she said.

Saddam and his wife, Sajida Khairallah Telfah, had three daughters and two sons. The two brothers, Odai and Qusai, were killed in a shootout with U.S. forces in the Iraqi city of Mosul on July 22.

The two daughters had lived private lives and were seen by some as victims of Saddam, who ordered their husbands killed in 1996.

On Tuesday, a spokesman for Governing Council member Ahmed Chalabi said he thought Saddam could get a fair trial in Iraq.

"I think the trial will be just and fair because all parties are interested in making it fair," Entifadh Qanbar told British Broadcasting Corp. TV. "It will also send the right message to have a trial conducted in Iraq by Iraqis to heal the wounds of those victims or the families of the victims."

[tet68]

Why aren't THEY under arrest?
Round 'em up.

[mhking]

They're not in a position to demand anything.

They know that an international trial would negate any possibility of the death penalty.

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[DB]

Hey I think they're on to something...

They should make it more international...

Let Iran, Kuwait and Iraq try him together...

[CurlyBill]

Anyone calling for an international trial is doing this for the sole purpose of eliminating the possibility of the death penalty. They are essentially allies of Saddam Hussein.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"We demand a fair and legal trial, not one held by the Governing Council which was appointed by the occupier," Raghad said.

"We demand"?! These girls need to read a newspaper.

Their "demanding" days are over!

[CurlyBill]

And this would include Howard Dean and many others, not just Saddam's family.

[VOA]

"He would be a lion even when caged," she said.

A caged lion is just about as dangerous as a caged housecat.
Except it needs a bigger cage and more meat thown to it.
Oh, and you always want to be sure the locked door is secure!

[Joe Boucher]

They like Sadman are in a real good position to demand anything?
Serious idiot alert.

[angkor]

The two daughters had lived private lives and were seen by some as victims of Saddam, who ordered their husbands killed in 1996.

Their husbands were lured from Jordan back to Iraq and summarily executed. No international or any other court.

[Corin Stormhands]

"We demand a fair and legal trial, not one held by the Governing Council which was appointed by the occupier," Raghad said.

The party is over sweetheart. Papa's got a brand new body bag.

[Smile-n-Win]

Raghad Saddam Hussein

A fitting name.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Saddam's family demands international trial for ousted leader

Brings to mind a scene in Shakespeare:

GLENDOWER

I can call spirits from the vasty deep.

HOTSPUR

Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?

Shakespeare, Henry IV part 1

[Smile-n-Win]

What Should Be Done With Saddam Hussein?

[michigander]

"We demand a fair and legal trial, not one held by the Governing Council which was appointed by the occupier,"

You should have demanded he surrender to the UN when they were there. He had a choice to determine in whose hands his fate would lie.
You snooze, you lose.

[alwaysconservative]

Are these women as stupidly idiotic as they appear to be? They have serious "reality issues". Maybe the problem is that they've been listening to ABCBSNBCNNPR and believing that twisted propaganda, to think they're in a position to "demand" ANYTHING.

[kittymyrib]

Good point...these over-privileged dim bulbs should be told that their cowardly father will receive much better justice he gave to their husbands. (Is there a more stupid creature on the face of the earth than a Muslim woman?)

[Cronos]

Nope, their turn will come later. SAddy did most of his crimes against the Irqi ppl. They should be the ones to put him on trial

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I want saddam tried by a military tribunal in gitmo for the deaths of US Service men and women.
Followed by a public execution at the site of the Twin Towers in NYC.
Method of execution : shot by firing squad with bullets dipped in pig fat.
No deadly shots, knee caps, arms etc.
Then let this pathetic excuse of a human being die slowly by bleeding.

[Cronos]

Let Iran, Kuwait and Iraq try him together...

You know that's a very good idea -- it would promote peace and co-operation in that region.