Regards, Ivan
Posted on 09/11/2004 4:57:45 PM PDT by MadIvan
PROSECUTORS seeking to convict Saddam Hussein for war crimes believe they have made a significant breakthrough after Tariq Aziz, the former dictator’s right-hand man, agreed to give evidence against him.
Aziz, now the star witness, is understood to have agreed to “co-operate fully” with American interrogators in return for leniency. Until he made the deal Aziz, the former deputy prime minister and the only senior Christian member of the regime, was facing the death penalty.
Aziz is now expected to testify that Saddam was personally responsible for war crimes, including the slaughter of thousands of innocent Kurds and Shi’ites. In 1988 5,000 people died in a single day in the Kurdish town of Halabja after a gas attack which Saddam claims to have been an accident.
Before Aziz agreed to co-operate, prosecutors were struggling to find evidence such as signed orders or minutes of meetings that would prove the despot instigated such atrocities.
Two other senior members of the regime — Sultan Hashim Ahmad, a former defence minister, and Kamal Mustafa Abdullah, secretary of the Republican Guard — have also agreed to testify.
Prosecutors are now confident of mounting a successful case against the dictator. The US authorities are said to be delighted that Aziz seems to have turned against the former regime.
The trial of Saddam had been due to start in Baghdad next year but last week Iraqi ministers said it could begin sooner. The co-operation of high-profile witnesses could now result in hearings beginning before Iraqi elections in January. Last week Jordanian lawyers acting for Aziz confirmed that he was co-operating with the authorities.
However, allegations are mounting that the trial of Saddam may be exploited for political aims. Last week Salem Chalabi, the head of the special court set up to try Saddam, was sacked from his job.
A friend of Chalabi’s said: “The Iraqi administration wants a quick and clean trial and to execute Saddam before the election. Salem got in the way because he wanted a fair and thorough judicial process.”
Lawyers for the accused men have yet to gain access to their clients, whose whereabouts remain a secret.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
OCTOBER SURPRISE???? :-)
great news
he's obviously more afraid of the new govt than soDamn hInsane
this is a good change
Good news, but I'll only consider Saddam's reign truly over when that bastard swings from the end of a rope.
If he's REALLY a Christian....maybe his conscience got the best of him. Either way, this is a good thing!
aziz better come clear of the WMD's. we need to know if buried in iraq or in syria as most believe.
He can start by telling where the WMDs are hidden.
This is huge in my opinion. Aziz has a lot to tell and it should become very interesting.
And they said panties on the head didn't work.....
LOL!
This is incredible news.
Guess we'll just have to stay tuned. I wonder if he knows what happened to Captain Scott Speicher.
You bad...LOL ;^D
I want Baghdad Bob to testify. Then I'll feel safe from Saddam.
ping
(Sarcasm on)
Not a surprise, because this whole war was clearly a plot by the Christians and Jews to weaken Islam, as evidenced by Aziz's timely switch to serve his Christian and Zionist masters.
(Sarcasm off)
Perhaps he's decided that he needs more time to atone for his sins.
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