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."

[blam]

Saddam's Kitchen

[MizSterious]

"... exile to some other brutal dictators country, say, like France, to live out his days."

On the other hand, sentencing him to live his life with the French might be pretty severe, too...

[VRWCmember]

Saddam's family can kiss my hairy yellow butt.

[Mike Darancette]

Put his daughters on trial too, if for no reason other than trying to protect the murderer of their husbands.

I would Imagine the pampered princesses are living on money stolen from the people of Iraq. Seize all of their assets and let them beg on the streets.

[In_25_words_or_less]

"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.

You can't make this stuff up.

[alwaysconservative]

Did anybody else notice that he was living on hot dogs? Probably not the nice, kosher, pork-free ones from Hebrew National, either. How do these guys get away with continuing to violate the tenets of their own faith?

[texasbluebell]

Aren't these the daughters whose husbands were murdered by their dear old dad?

They're as sick as he is.

[thinktwice]

Are these women as stupidly idiotic as they appear to be? They have serious "reality issues".

They are not alone ... Most people on earth have serious "reality issues."

[F16Fighter]

Even worse -- We could let the U.S. 9th Circuit rule on Saddam's "punishment."

They'd order Hussein "whipped by a bouquet of pansies" as punishment, then released subsequently to "help heal the world."

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Their request should be given all the consideration it is due. That should take 2-3 seconds of thought. Afterward, Saddam shold be torured for intel as long as necessary, then tried and executed. Throw the body into an outhouse for composting.

[dfwgator]

OK, you want an internation trial, let's have the trial in Kuwait.

[Squantos]

Agree........Rag 'n Rant need to shutdaphucup as we have more rope than they have neck..........

Stay Safe !

[ZOTnot]

I agree. Wonder why 'RAGHEAD' just doesn't 'get it?'

Her own husband and brother in law were offed, and she wants him to live?

Go figure.

[Rutabega]

I just listened to Hans Blix interviewed on Fox and he said that (paraphrasing) an international court is the only way to go because he is against the death penalty as are all civilized people. Also, Sweden is willing to take him after he is convicted.

I ate dinner Saturday night with a Swedish prison guard who told me that life equals 10+1 year here, and after year five, all inmates start to get weekends away from prison (eventually unsupervised) since there is no way for them to assimilate after prison without these weekends away from it!

[F16Fighter]

"Sweden is willing to take him [Saddam] after he is convicted."

The Swedes are a scary bunch, aren't they? There's no such thing as "evil" according to them -- just "misbehavin'."

[Rutabega]

Sigh.

Indeed. I am sad for the nice Swedish people I know, who actually vote against the chipping away of their life and culture.

[redhead]

LOLOL!!! Right...

[Poohbah]

They're not in a position to demand anything.

Yo, Raghad, wish into one hand. Defecate into the other. Notice which one fills first. Thank you, and have a nice day.

[hchutch]

The way I see it, Saddam is lucky to even be alive for a trial.