Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Manner of latest Iraq execution 'wrong': Britain
AFP on Yahoo ^ | 1/15/07 | AFP

Posted on 01/15/2007 10:26:10 AM PST by NormsRevenge

LONDON (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said that the way in which Saddam Hussein's half-brother was executed was "wrong", after it emerged his head was severed during hanging.

Human rights groups criticised the punishment after the Iraqi government said "no violations" had occurred but confirmed that Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti's head was ripped from his body as he swung on the gallows.

Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon, Blair's spokesman restated Britain's opposition to the death penalty and again said it recognised Iraq's right as a sovereign government to make its own decision on capital punishment.

"However, we emphasised (to the Iraqi government) if the executions were to be carried out, they should be done so in a dignified way," he said.

"Now if, as it appears to have been the case, that it didn't happen, then that clearly was wrong.

"But the manner of death should neither obscure the crimes that these people committed against the Iraqi people, nor excuse the manner (of the execution) if indeed it did go wrong."

Al-Tikriti, Saddam's former intelligence chief and half-brother, and Awad Ahmed Bandar, the former head of the revolutionary court, were executed at dawn, the Iraqi government in Baghdad said Monday.

Both were sentenced to hang on November 5 by a special court along with ousted president Saddam Hussein for their part in the killing of 148 Shiite Muslims in the 1980s.

Saddam's execution on December 30, before which he was taunted by Shiite guards and observers, drew criticism worldwide for the way it was handled by the Iraqi authorities.

Blair was attacked for initially remaining silent over the hanging. But he also eventually branded the manner of the former dictator's execution as "completely wrong".

Britain lobbied "at the highest level" to spare Saddam's life the day before he faced the gallows, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said in a letter made public last week.

London's reaction to the latest hangings Monday morning was initially more muted, with the Foreign Office and Blair's office refusing to criticise Iraq for carrying out the executions until the decapitation was confirmed later.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: britain; execution; iraq
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last
To: NormsRevenge

This is the first I have heard about the guy's head coming off. Back on the live Saddam hanging thread I had posted a recommended drop chart based on weight (just to be helpful). And later when I watched the video of Saddam's hanging I thought at the time it looked like there was too much slack in that rope. Sounds like they didn't bother reading the instructions.


41 posted on 01/15/2007 11:05:21 AM PST by faq
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Well, you know, Tony, we shouldn't be in a position to dictate these things to a sovereign Iraqi government. "Completely wrong" would have been dropping them into a plastic shredder without a trial.


42 posted on 01/15/2007 11:05:43 AM PST by My2Cents
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Snoopers-868th

"Very nice video. I have never seen it."

Isn't he good? I'd never seen him either. Hope he's working on a new routine.


43 posted on 01/15/2007 11:16:29 AM PST by Jeffrey_D. (Seek first to understand, then to be understood)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: faq
Here is a method that may work. Have a damper or a safety device in the rope that is set to release when the tension exceeds a certain value. If it happens too early, the hangee just falls onto the floor and sufferes a few small bruises. He is picked up, dusted off and sent back to the gallows with the trigger readjusted. After a few trial and error(involving falling onto the floor each time and being sent back)eventually it will happen just right, and the head will still be on the torso.
44 posted on 01/15/2007 11:17:44 AM PST by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

I guess they think he would be less dead if his head didn't come off. These dumb asses think it is ok to for muslims to behead people but it shouldn't happen to them. What asshats. Liberals, we should exile them all to the moon.


45 posted on 01/15/2007 11:18:18 AM PST by calex59
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

In other words the rope tension should be high enough to snap the neck, but not enough to uncork the head.


46 posted on 01/15/2007 11:21:53 AM PST by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: 353FMG

LOL. You got me!


47 posted on 01/15/2007 11:24:14 AM PST by jdm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

The problem with that is that the bystanders would no doubt laugh at the guy when he fell to the ground the first couple of times. From what I hear, the difference between an execution and a lynching is when the condemned gets taunted.

Here is that drop chart: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1759930/posts?page=157#157

If this chart I found on the internet is accurate, Saddam should have dropped about 5 feet. In the video it looked to me that he probably dropped several feet.


48 posted on 01/15/2007 11:32:58 AM PST by faq
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator
And piano wire.

The high notes.

49 posted on 01/15/2007 11:35:35 AM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
"Here is a method that may work. Have a damper or a safety device in the rope that is set to release when the tension exceeds a certain value. If it happens too early, the hangee just falls onto the floor and sufferes a few small bruises. He is picked up, dusted off and sent back to the gallows with the trigger readjusted. After a few trial and error(involving falling onto the floor each time and being sent back)eventually it will happen just right, and the head will still be on the torso."

Wouldn't it be much easier to simply starve them for a few weeks so they aren't so fat when you string 'em up?

50 posted on 01/15/2007 11:36:08 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Voted Free Republic's Most Eligible Bachelor: 2006. Love them Diebold machines.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: 353FMG

Ya got me too on that one! That was startling! LOL!


51 posted on 01/15/2007 11:36:53 AM PST by Theresawithanh (Well, lah-tee-freaking-dah!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Going wobbly.


52 posted on 01/15/2007 11:37:12 AM PST by toddlintown (Six bullets and Lennon goes down. Yet not one hit Yoko. Discuss.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Sh-stuff happens.


53 posted on 01/15/2007 11:41:31 AM PST by sgtbono2002 (Peace through strength.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Folks

Here is the reason all the lefties are all in a huff about the hangings. I was reading a post in a blog in an area newspaper that quoted some cindy sheehan associate who advocated sweating the saddam family for information to hang Dubya with..in some insane obsessive compulsive search for a smoking gun on the war.


54 posted on 01/15/2007 11:53:08 AM PST by Armedanddangerous (Master of Sinanju (emeritus))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
"British Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said that the way in which Saddam Hussein's half-brother was executed was "wrong"......"

I won't be too critical of the British, but it seems to me that the US Constitution's Amendment 8 prohibition against "cruel and unusual punishment" had something to do with the British actions before they were expelled from the United States.
55 posted on 01/15/2007 12:18:06 PM PST by WildBill2275 (The Second Amendment guarantees all of your other rights)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SamuraiScot

"Who knows what the penalty is for striking a Roman Citizen?" - Bob; History of the World


56 posted on 01/15/2007 12:24:28 PM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

That is how I feel about the story and PHOTOS of the awful executions going on in Iran - including stoning women to death - yet you don't hear a word from the "feminists" who suffer from Bush Derangement Syndrome. Remember - they loved Clinton, because he encouraged them to abort their babies.


57 posted on 01/15/2007 1:55:15 PM PST by juliej (vote gop)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: juliej
because he encouraged them to abort their babies.

Yep, 'encouraged' is the right word. To Liberals, and especially feminists, abortion is not merely one option. It is the prefered option, the recommended first option, something that should practiced as often and as regularly as possible. Abortion to them is a fundamental right, a sacrament,something that asserts their power and control over their bodies. It's symbolic. In fact I am sure many feminists get pregnant just so they can abort their babies and show people who's in charge.

58 posted on 01/15/2007 2:18:44 PM PST by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

at least they did use a bungee cord or a trampoline

http://trampolinelol.ytmnd.com/


59 posted on 01/15/2007 8:13:26 PM PST by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestu s globus, inflammare animos)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Bunch of pussies


60 posted on 01/15/2007 8:23:44 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson