Posted on 09/03/2004 2:10:21 PM PDT by Jane_N
MONTPELLIER, France (AFP) - Chief UN war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said that ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) should be tried for crimes against humanity outside Iraq (news - web sites).
"It is not possible to hold a fair trial for Saddam Hussein in Iraq," Del Ponte told a lawyers' conference organized by the human rights section of the bar association in the southern French city of Montpellier.
"If the international community wants a fair trial, to know the whole truth, and also if Saddam Hussein is to have a fair trial, the solution can be found outside Iraq," she added, speaking in what she called a "personal capacity".
Del Ponte, who is head prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague (news - web sites), drew a parallel between Saddam and ex-Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic (news - web sites), now on trial in the ICTY.
She said Milosevic's trial "could never have taken place in the same way in Belgrade".
"None of the important witnesses would have agreed to testify against Milosevic in Belgrade. In this kind of context, there can be a lot of threats out there. It would be the same thing for Saddam Hussein in Baghdad," she said.
Saddam, arrested by US troops in December 2003 and held at a secret location under US protection, appeared before an Iraqi court on July 1 and was charged with committing crimes against humanity.
I say we try Saddam in front of a firing squad...
In the immortal words of President Bush, "Who cares what you think?"
I say we take all the anti-war French people and media and throw them off the San Francisco bridge.
UN...France...hmmmmmm?
Bring him down here to South Louisiana...
Use him to bait a gator trap?
How about we let the families of the people Saddam killed decide his fate?
That Milosevic trial is working out REAL well.
Good point. I say we turn him over to the Kuwaitis.
I say the Iraqi's should give Saddam about as 'fair' a trial as Saddam gave Iraqi's.
Sounds right to me.
That Milosevic trial......
That's the type trial I've been hoping for
since Saddam was captured.
STFU XCarla!
The only reason she wants this is so she and her UN pals can milk the trial for a decade or till Saddam dies, just like they are doing with Milosivic!
All the while the UN cronies live in high style while they see over the proceedings!
Then why are you posting them here for comment?
Duh.
The frogs want to try Saddam Bwahahahahahahaha, If they wanted to try him they should have captured him.
Saddam Hussein is an Iraqi national who committed his crimes in Iraq against Iraqis and is currently in Iraqi custody. Let him be tried for these crimes by Iraqis.
"Then why are you posting them here for comment?"
For the same reason you post your comments/opinions ...everyone does have a right to their opinion. But whether others care about them or not is another matter!
Pretty much my opinion too RonF.
The Iraqis can handle this quite well, thank you, and they have earned the right. The world did NOTHING while Saddam tortured and killed them. Now the world can watch while the Iraqis get justice for themselves.
Thankfully GWB's white house has cllaed for the ICTY to be shut down as soon as possible, I just wish congress would stop sending some $100 million a year to fund it
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.