Salem Chalabi, director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal in charge of the trial of the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.(AFP/File/Yasser al-Zayyat)
Posted on 07/02/2004 12:09:34 PM PDT by TexKat
BAGHDAD (AFP) - The head of the Iraqi Special Tribunal prosecuting Saddam Hussein and 11 of his lieutenants has outlined the path forward in the biggest legal case in the history of Iraq.
Salem Chalabi said that as a first step he will be pushing for the group of 11, who include the likes of Saddam's presidential adviser and first cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid and former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan, to be jailed in separate cells as soon as Friday.
"Right now only number one (Saddam) is isolated from the rest," Chalabi told reporters late Thursday.
"One bad thing for the investigation is when they start coordinating their statements."
Chalabi explained that another reason he is pushing for them to be separated is that isolating the defendants will make it easier to cut plea bargains with them in the event that becomes an option.
"From my meetings with them, they each want to do different deals, one individual in particular is desperate for a deal," said Chalabi.
He cautioned, however that it was too early to speak about deals while many other former members of the regime remain uncharged.
"What if we work out a deal with someone and it turns out later that he in fact committed crimes," said Chalabi.
Although legal custody of the detainees passed to Iraqis Wednesday and they were hauled in the dock the next day, Saddam and his henchmen remain guarded by US forces at an undisclosed location.
Chalabi said that his immediate tasks over the next few weeks include appointing more judges to the tribunal and finalising its procedures and meeting with each of the defendants separately.
"Each one had different requests about contacting family and so forth," he said.
"One of them gave us a telephone number."
Chalabi said that going forward all hearings by the special tribunal will take place without the media frenzy that characterized Thursday's procedures.
"We wanted to demonstrate that the process is starting," he said.
Chalabi refused to be specific on how soon Saddam and the other defendants would be allowed to meet with their lawyers.
He said that a group of Jordanian lawyers headed by Mohammed Rashdan who have expressed a desire to defend Saddam contacted him about a month ago.
But that after snubbing the tribunal chief's earlier requests that they furnish proof of their identities, they are now "calling back and willing to cooperate," Chalabi said.
Ultimately, Chalabi said it would up to Saddam to decide whether he wants the Jordanian lawyers, who have been appointed by his wife and three daughters.
"It is his decision to say whether he wants them and I will be speaking to him about that," said Chalabi.
Saddam told the special tribunal judge Thursday, "I imagine that you were made aware of the fact that I have lawyers," while most of the other 11 defendants also insisted on having Jordanian or Arab lawyers represent them.
Saddam and the others if convicted of their crimes could face the death penalty, according to Iraq's criminal code dating back to 1971.
Chalabi said that Iraq was in the process of reinstating the death penalty after it was scrapped by the US-led coalition after the April 2003 invasion.
"I spoke with the president (Ghazi al-Yawar) and the decision has been made to lift it but it has not been signed by everybody yet."
Saddam's defence lawyers, Rashdan and Ziad Khassawneh, lambasted the court proceedings in Amman Friday.
The pair called the first court appearance of the ousted president a farce and and challenged the legitimacy of Iraq's judicial system which they said was preventing them from going to Baghdad.
Salem Chalabi, director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal in charge of the trial of the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.(AFP/File/Yasser al-Zayyat)
Click The Logo To DonateGee. WOnder who that might be?
Tariq Aziz, Former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister during the Saddam Hussein regime, sits in front of an Iraqi judge during his initial interview at an undisclosed location in Baghdad July 1.(AFP/POOL/File/Karen Ballard)
Taha Yassin Ramadan, former vice President and close presidential aid during the regime of the deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, sits in front of an Iraqi judge July 1.(AFP/POOL/File/Karen Ballard)
In this image cleared by the US military, Abid Hamid Mahmoud al-Tikriti, presidential secretary; appears in a courtroom at Camp Victory, a former Saddam palace on the outskirts of Baghdad, Thursday, July 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Karen Ballard/Pool)
In this image cleared by the US military, Sabir Abdul Aziz Al-Douri; governor of Baghdad, appears in a courtroom at Camp Victory, a former Saddam palace on the outskirts of Baghdad, Thursday, July 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Karen Ballard/Pool)
In this image cleared by the US military, Watban Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti; presidential adviser and Saddam's half brother, appears in a courtroom at Camp Victory, a former Saddam palace on the outskirts of Baghdad, Thursday, July 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Karen Ballard/Pool)
Former Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim Ahmad appears before an Iraqi tribunal, July 1, 2004 in Baghdad. The arraignment was the first step towards a trial which could help Iraq come to terms with 35 years of Baath party brutality, though it may not start for many months. Hearings began for 11 of Saddam Hussein's former aides, including former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, Saddam's half-brothers and Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as 'Chemical Ali' for his alleged role in using poison gas on Kurds and Iranians. Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge on Thursday, questioning his authority and saying the 'real criminal' was U.S. President George W. Bush. REUTERS/Karen Ballard/POOL
Kamal Mustafa al-Tikriti, former commander of Iraq's elite Republican Guards, appears before an Iraqi tribunal July 1, 2004. The arraignment was the first step towards a trial which could help Iraq come to terms with 35 years of Baath party brutality, though it may not start for many months. Hearings began for 11 of Saddam Hussein's former aides, including former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, Saddam's half-brothers and Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as 'Chemical Ali' for his alleged role in using poison gas on Kurds and Iranians. Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge on Thursday, questioning his authority and saying the 'real criminal' was U.S. President George W. Bush. REUTERS/Karen Ballard/POOL
Saddam Hussein's half-brother and adviser Barzan Ibrahim Hasan al-Tikriti appears before an Iraqi tribunal July 1, 2004. Downcast but defiant, Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge on Thursday, questioning his authority and saying the 'real criminal' was President Bush. Similar hearings were held later for 11 of his former aides, including former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, Saddam's half-brothers and Hassan Ali al-Majid, known as 'Chemical Ali' for his alleged role in using poison gas on Kurds and Iranians. REUTERS/Karen Ballard-Pool
Former Baath party regional commander Aziz Salih Numan appears before an Iraqi tribunal July 1, 2004. The arraignment was the first step towards a trial which could help Iraq come to terms with 35 years of Baath party brutality, though it may not start for many months. Hearings began for 11 of Saddam Hussein's former aides, including former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, Saddam's half-brothers and Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as 'Chemical Ali' for his alleged role in using poison gas on Kurds and Iranians. Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge on Thursday, questioning his authority and saying the 'real criminal' was U.S. President George W. Bush . REUTERS/Karen Ballard-Pool
Mohammed Hamza al-Zubaidi, a former member of Iraq's decision-making Revolutionary Command Council, appears before an Iraqi tribunal July 1, 2004. The arraignment was the first step towards a trial which could help Iraq come to terms with 35 years of Baath party brutality, though it may not start for many months. Hearings began for 11 of Saddam Hussein's former aides, including former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, Saddam's half-brothers and Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as 'Chemical Ali' for his alleged role in using poison gas on Kurds and Iranians. Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge on Thursday, questioning his authority and saying the 'real criminal' was U.S. President George W. Bush. REUTERS/Karen Ballard/POOL
In this image cleared by the US military, Ali Hasan al-Majid, also known as Chemical Ali, appears in a courtroom at Camp Victory, a former Saddam palace on the outskirts of Baghdad, Thursday, July 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Karen Ballard/Pool)
US newspapers were replete with coverage of Saddam Hussein's appearance in court, generally seen as 'defiant' and utterly unrepentant.(AFP/HO/File)
Let's make a deal!!!
I'd be willing to deal for some verifiable weapons info. Particularly if there's a weapons/money/france component. However, it wouldn't hurt to fire up the ole plastic shredder just to jog their memories a bit.
here's what's behind door #1 for Saddam:
- he can live in prison for the rest of his life, if he admits to the AQ connections and the WMD programs, 1 hour before Kerry gives his acceptance speech at the Democratic convention.
what they need to do is quickly try and hang one of them - I vote for Chemical Ali. Give him a 2 day trial, followed by a televised hanging (a slow one, none of this neck snapping stuff). Let the others see that on TV, and then see who comes forward.
Aziz Salih Numan - This fellow reminds me a lot of pictures I have seen of Josef "Sepp" Dietrich, commander of Hitler's bodyguard unit "Leibstandarte". Do any Freepers have any handy pictures they can post side by side for comparison?
Note how most of them still have that "Sadaam look-alike" thing going.
From the sounds of it ....he told the judge to do whatever he had to do ....and be quick about it.......sounded very defeated.
good analysis.
any of them will do frankly, just give me somebody at the end of a rope sometime in the next two weeks. it will be good for the iraqi people too, nothing makes a populace bond like a good execution of a former regime leader!
These guys look like cab drivers in NYC. Not mass murderers...
He looks pretty good for someone who's been killed several times.
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