Posted on 05/20/2005 2:18:22 PM PDT by Cornpone
Saddam Hussein plans to take legal action after a British newspaper published photos of him half-naked in his prison cell and doing his washing. "We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures," said Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer Ziad Al-Khasawneh, speaking from Jordan.
The Sun newspaper said it would fight any legal action and said it planned to publish more photos on Saturday.
The US has launched an investigation into how the photos were leaked.
The US military and legal experts said the photos - possibly taken more than a year ago - may breach Geneva Convention rules on the humane treatment of prisoners of war.
The conventions say countries must protect prisoners of war in their custody from "public curiosity".
Saddam Hussein is being held by US troops at an undisclosed location in Iraq as he awaits trial on numerous charges, including murdering rivals, gassing Iraqi Kurds and using violence to suppress uprisings.
'Aggressive' investigation
The photos show the 68-year-old former leader with a moustache, rather than the beard he sported when he was captured in December 2003, and again when he appeared in court last July.
The Sun's front page showed him wearing a pair of white underpants.
Other pictures show him washing his trousers, shuffling around and sleeping.
The Sun quoted US military sources who said they handed over the pictures in the hope of dealing a blow to the resistance in Iraq.
"It's important that the people of Iraq see him like that to destroy the myth," the paper's source was quoted as saying.
However, several Arab commentators have suggested the photos could increase anti-American feeling in the region.
Khaled al-Maeena, the editor of Saudi Arabia's Arab News told the BBC the photos would be seen as "an insult and an affront".
The Sun's managing editor Graham Dudman defended the decision to publish the images.
"People seem to forget that this is a man who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children and all that's happened to him is someone has taken his picture," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme.
"This is a sort of modern-day Adolf Hitler. These pictures are an extraordinary iconic news image that will still be being looked at the end of this century."
A statement from the US military said it was "disappointed at the possibility that someone responsible for the security, welfare, and detention of Saddam would take and provide these photos for public release".
The US military would "aggressively" investigate, the statement said.
But President George W Bush said he did not think the photos would encourage insurgents in Iraq.
"I don't think a photo inspires murderers. I think they're inspired by an ideology that's so barbaric and backwards that it's hard for many in the Western world to comprehend how they think."
Can the surviving family members (if there are any) of those hapless victims being found in mass graves likewise sue Saddam for executing their loved ones?
Alright, I've had enough. How can you all keep torching us with that smelly hairy beast.
How about some real men in their panties?
You can always count on a FReeper when the chips are down...why is it that only Saddam looks confused about what he's doing?
So, are we going to see the next set of pics on Page 3?
Mr. Ziad Al-Khasawneh should ' go fly a kite'
the world is waiting for photos of him hanging by the neck until dead , not standing around in his skivies.
I saw Nepolitano ask who he's gonna sue a moment ago. Seems pretty obvious. He'll sue the Newspaper for violating his privacy.
Why am I surprised that Saddam wears underwear at all? I'm not sure what I expected under there, but tighty whities wasn't it. Maybe grannie knickers.
Legal action? He'll probably be swinging from a rope before this issue ever gets a court date.
I personally think the woodchipper is too good for him.
Well.....at least he took the bra off first.
What legal action will he take when the Iraqis show photos of him with his neck stretched?
That is what they want you to think. We have been threatened with more pictures! There can be poses in bras and garders. The images will forever be burned into my brain!
I'm blind, I'm blind!!!
:)
"I don't think a photo inspires murderers. I think they're inspired by an ideology that's so barbaric and backwards that it's hard for many in the Western world to comprehend how they think."
What could that ideology be?
I heard there might also be a feather boa.....oh the pain, the pain!!!
Well, at least he wasn't shown in his underwear while surfing on a computer at FreeRepublic.
Yeah, and no skidmarks either.
Saddam, tighty-whities are SO eighties! I want to mail him a leopard skin thong or maybe something in mesh.
hahaha
Great, if he sues, the money he wins can go for the relief in part for the families of the millions he killed.
But not in high heals, right? I couldn't take the thought :O
MESH!!!!!! ROFLMAO!!!! yes, it's so cool for those sultry desert nights!
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