Posted on 10/05/2005 4:25:30 AM PDT by HAL9000
Saddam Hussein's family has no money to pay for his defence and his legal team is demanding that either the Iraqi court trying him or the media provide the funds.The former Iraqi dictator is to stand trial over a Shiite massacre in just two weeks.
His lawyer, Khalil Dulaimi, says that until now his team has been providing its services for free because Saddam's family "had no money to cover his expenses".
He says his team has failed to raise the money from "rich Arabs, including those who had amassed fortunes in doing business with Iraq."
Pointing his finger at the Special Tribunal that will be trying Saddam and seven former cohorts from October 19, Mr Dulaimi says it has spent at least $US500 million preparing its case.
He says his team has asked the court for funds to cover their costs, but has received no response.
Mr Dulaimi says he will make no further statements to the media until the tribunal "applies the law and covers the expenses of the lawyers" or until the media do.
Saddam and seven others are charged in connection with the massacre of 143 people in the Shiite village of Dujail in 1982 following an attempt on his life there.
Senior former officials to be tried with him are ex-vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan, Saddam's half-brother and former intelligence boss Barzan Ibrahim al-Hassan and a former deputy chief in Saddam's cabinet, Awad Ahmed al-Bandar.
The other four, Abdullah Khadem Ruweid, Mezhar Abdullah Ruweid, Ali Daeh and Mohammed Azzam al-Ali, are former ruling Baath Party officials responsible for the Dujail area.
Mr Dulaimi has been requesting a delay, claiming that the defence had not been informed about the trial date and had not given it full access to Saddam himself or full details of the charges against him.
The court, however, said it had told the defence in September of the trial would and that it had been provided with all the evidence obtained in the case.
Why doesn't Saddamn hit up the UN?
No pro-bono? LOL!
Bill Colinton has some leftover legal defense fund money (er, bribes) he could provide.
Kofi has a few billion in illegel Iraq bribes he could refund. (er, offer.)
There's an idea. He could start the Saddam Legal Defense Fund. Or he could start the Saddam Presidential Library.
BS!! This SOB has millions (billions?) socked away.
Follow The Money :)
Is the MSM going to hold a telethon?
Good point-- Mr. Oil for Food but not really doesn't have a good track record of effective money management.
Maybe DU will have a fund raiser!
Katie Couric will come to the rescue.
I bet he could get some cash from Cindy Sheehan!
His sons should help him out......oh, forgot.
Time for the liberals to throw him a fundraiser.
I guess he should have kept life insurance policies on them!
BWAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
That's rich :)
I think he may have used it all up bribing Chirac, Schroeder, Putin, Galloway, and Kofi.
I suspect the NY Times, the BBC, and al-Jazeera have already sent their donations.
They say the Prosecution has spent $500 mil. developing its cases. a lot of cases with evidence.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.