Saddam may face death penalty

LONDON - Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein could face the death penalty if he is convicted of war crimes, says the head of the Iraqi tribunal that will try him.

Salem Chalabi told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost programme that Saddam could be executed if Iraq's interim Government lifts a suspension on the death penalty after assuming power next week.

The United States administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, has suspended the death penalty.

"The statute of the tribunal says that for anybody convicted of the ... crime of murder or rape, they get what Iraqi law prescribes," Chalabi said.

"If the suspension imposed by Ambassador Bremer is lifted, then there is the possibility of the death penalty being imposed."

Saddam has not yet been formally charged but Iraqis accuse him of masterminding such crimes as the killing of thousands of northern Kurds with poison gas in 1988 and thousands of southern Shiites in uprisings in the 1990s.

Chalabi said the tribunal hoped to issue arrest warrants against the former Iraqi President and other members of his regime and take custody of them in the next few weeks or months. "We're negotiating quite intensively with the coalition forces," he said.

Saddam has been in the custody of US forces since his capture in December.

Last week, interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said he expected the former strongman and other leaders of his regime would soon be given to the new Iraqi Government for trial.

US President George W. Bush said Saddam would be handed over to the Iraqis once adequate security was in place to ensure he did not escape.


Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that Iraqis were tortured by British troops, who killed some 20 in fighting at Al-Majar al-Kebir in the south of the country on May 14.

The newspaper cited death certificates drawn up by the town's hospital.

Of 22 certificates issued by hospital director Dr Adel Salid Majid, a copy of which was obtained by the newspaper, seven reported signs of mutilation and torture.

The daily gave details of the cases.

Ahmad al-Helfi, a 19-year-old casual labourer, is described as having "several bullet injuries to the body, with blueness of the left eye and a cut wound by a sharp tool on the right arm. In addition, there are signs of beating and torturing all over the body".

Haider al-Lami, 21, also a casual labourer, had "several bullet injuries to the body, with mutilation of genitalia".

His penis had been "severed".

Another, Ali al-Jemindari, 37, had "several bullet injuries in head, face and the body, with slash marks on the neck. The right arm has been severed at the shoulder. There is a large opening in the right cheek and the removal by gouging of the right eye".

But a doctor at nearby Amara hospital who was the first to see the bodies cast doubt on the claims.

The doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, examined the corpse of Jemindari. "What we saw on examination is multiple bullet entries and exits," he said.

"All I can say is his arm wasn't severed like what was written on the form by Dr Adel [Majid]. His right shoulder was severely destroyed yet still the right arm was connected by some tissue.

"Also, you couldn't say whether the right eye was removed after death or before. But such an injury might happen in war, perhaps a bullet came into his right eye and pressed it inside the skull."

A British Army spokesman in Iraq called the torture allegations absurd.

He said: "Such claims are an insult to the whole British Army and an attempt to stain the image of men who are putting their lives at risk every day to secure Iraq for the Iraqis."

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq