|
|
News Image 9205 - Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and two other defendants were today sentenced to death
Monday, 6 November 2006 - 1:04 AM SL Time - Some news pictures are worth a million words
|
|
|
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Many Iraqis reacted with jubilation to Saddam Hussein`s death sentence Sunday, while others took to the streets in protest.
The Interior Ministry closed two Sunni satellite TV stations accused of inciting sectarian violence, a ministry official told CNN.
Iraqi police and soldiers ordered the employees of First Channel [Zawra] and Salaheddin TV to leave their offices in Tikrit, Hussein`s hometown.
That is where as many as 2,000 people protested Sunday`s verdict and sentence against the former Iraqi leader, defying the government`s curfew.
Earlier in the day, a witness said the protesters in Tikrit carried posters of the former president and were shooting into the air. The numbers of demonstrators grew after the sentence was announced.
There have been no reports of widespread violence, and the measure to close the two TV networks is largely precautionary.
A complete movement ban -- both people and vehicles -- was imposed on Sunday in the provinces of Baghdad, Diyala and Salaheddin, where Tikrit is located.
Meanwhile, gleeful Iraqis took to the streets in celebration in predominately Shiite areas, including Baghdad`s Sadr City neighborhood, southern towns in Wasit province, and the southern city of Najaf.
Some carried pictures of Muqtada al Sadr`s grandfather -- a cleric who was murdered by Hussein in the `80s -- and shot their guns in the air in celebration.
Witnesses said people shouted `the killer deserves to be killed` and set pictures of Hussein on fire.
In the climax to a trial that began more than a year ago, a combative Hussein and two other defendants Sunday were sentenced to death by hanging for a brutal crackdown in 1982 in the Shiite town of Dujail. (Watch what`s next for Hussein -- 3:13 )
One other defendant was sentenced to life in prison, and three received 15-year sentences.
The Dujail case stemmed from a crackdown against townspeople after a 1982 assassination attempt against Hussein in the town.
According to court documents, the military, political and security apparatus in Iraq and Dujail killed, arrested, detained and tortured men, women and children in the town. Homes were demolished and orchards were razed.
Sunday`s 50-minute court session was dramatic. Hussein entered with a Quran in hand, as he had in the past. He began shouting `Allahu Akhbar` -- God is great -- as the verdict and sentencing was read. (Watch Hussein shout protests during sentencing -- 4:05 )
He also argued with the chief judge and shouted, `Damn you and your court.` As the judge ordered him taken away, Hussein said to one of the guards, `Don`t push me, boy.`
The appeal process has now been set in motion.
Within 10 days, the court will forward the cases of Hussein and three other defendants to the appellate chamber of the Iraqi High Tribunal. Appeals of death penalties and life sentences are automatic.
Within 20 days after the appeals are made, the prosecution and the defense must submit their documents to the appellate chamber.
A court official told The Associated Press the appeals process was likely to take three to four weeks once the formal paperwork was submitted.
However, there is no time limit for the appellate court to rule on the appeal.
Once the court does reach a decision, if the sentences are upheld, they must be carried out in 30 days.
Iraqis, not the coalition, would carry out the executions. (Full story)
`The Saddam Hussein era is in the past now, as was the era of Hitler and Mussolini,` said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, calling Hussein the worst ruler ever in Iraq.
`We want an Iraq where all Iraqis are equal before the law,` he said. `The policy of discrimination and persecution is over.` (Watch al-Maliki call Hussein `worst ruler` in Iraq`s history -- 3:06)
Barhim Salih, the Kurdish deputy prime minister of Iraq, called this a `historic day.`
Many Iraqis wanted `swift` and `summary` justice, Salih told CNN, but Iraq `abided by the legality of the process.`
The Iraqi Islamic Party -- the country`s most powerful Sunni political group -- indicated that while justice was served, the present government urgently needs to grapple with widespread injustices now.
Sunnis were predominant in Hussein`s government and have lost much of their clout since he was toppled. They have been dominant in the insurgency, and critical of the Shiite-led government for not dealing strongly with Shiite death squads.
The group said Iraqis have the right to ask whether crimes being committed today are not unlike the crimes under the Saddam Hussein regime. The group mentioned sectarian killings and displacement and the imprisoning of innocents.
White House spokesman Tony Snow praised the Dujail trial verdict, including Hussein`s sentence of death by hanging for crimes against humanity.
`It demonstrates that you`ve got an independent Iraqi judiciary and that they were applying their own laws,` Snow said.
World reaction to the verdict was mixed.(Full story)
Along with Hussein, his half brother and former intelligence chief Barzan Hassan, and former chief judge of the Revolutionary Court Awad Bandar also were sentenced to death.
Taha Yassin Ramadan, a former vice president of Iraq, was sentenced to life in prison.
Mohammed Azzawi Ali, a former Dujail Baath Party official, was acquitted because of insufficient evidence against him, the court said.
The three others -- Abdullah Kadhem Ruwaid, Ali Dayem Ali, and Misher Abdullah Ruwaid -- were sentenced to 15 years each.
Hussein is also in the middle of another trial involving the 1988 Anfal campaign, the government offensive in the country`s Kurdish region. Hussein is charged in that case with genocide.
|
| |
shan
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2385
Member Profile
|
 5 Nov 2006 21:16:52 GMT Report for Abuse
|
MR is trying to distance himself from the genocide he committed,
President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to announce tomorrow an eight-member commission of inquiry to investigate 15 cases of abduction, disappearance and extra-judicial killing that occurred after August 2005
Too late MotaRala face the consequences as the chief of SLA. |
nada
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3974
Member Profile
|
 5 Nov 2006 21:28:00 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Hm...today Sadam.
Tomorrow...Oh God.... the list is endless..some have to be brought back from hell to be tried and sentenced to death once again.
JR, Lalith to name a few have to come back to face the trial. And right here there are several including UNICEF Consultant, Maama, and importantly there are a number of them in this forum too....
Magha, AnuD...where are you guys, Interpol is looking for you for aiding and abetting genocide!!! |
Bheesan
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1211
Member Profile
|
5 Nov 2006 21:46:38 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| Sadam got the justice because he was controlling oil. But Pol Pot, Idi Amin and P'akaran will not get the justice. America is not interested in mass murderers in Asian and African countries. But America train our army thats a good thing. |
tarquin
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1525
Member Profile
|
5 Nov 2006 22:10:57 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Sadam got the justice because he was controlling oil
Saddam got convicted because he killed thousands of his own people, exactly what Mahinda is doing now and what his predecessors also did.
From Solomon Bandaranaike to Mahinda Rajapakse all the sinhala leaders have the blood of thousands of tamils on their hands.
At least Saddam had an excuse of being a dictator but what is Mahinda's excuse for killing his own people? |
SWRD
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 375
Member Profile
|
5 Nov 2006 22:52:47 GMT Report for Abuse
|
JR, Lalith to name a few have to come back to face the trial. And right here there are several including UNICEF Consultant, Maama, and importantly there are a number of them in this forum too....
the impartiality of the commentators are well demonstrated here. where is the name of prbakaran? one of the most brutal mass murderers ever. he may not be a elected leader but he claims to be and accepted by most as the leader of the tamils hence no less accountable. for tamils all the sinhgala leaders are murders, for sinhgala all the tamil leaders are murderers. so what else is new? |
PolBanda
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 644
Member Profile
|
5 Nov 2006 22:52:51 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Sun Dog will be the next. He too lives in a Bunker same as Saddam.
1. Killing Buddhist monks
2. Killing Hindu priests (recent one in Vavuniya)
3. Killing preying Muslims
4. Killing devotees near Sri Maha Bodhi
5. Killing R. Premadasa
6. Killing Rajiv Gandhi
7. Killing Kadiragamar
8. Killing Neelan Thiruchelvam
9. Killing Amirthalingam (his mentor)
10. Killing Gamini Dissanayake......,
(I am sorry list is too long)
Mala Kelliyai, what a Lilliput Saddam is, compared to butcher.
Edited By - PolBanda - 5 Nov 2006 23:57:49 GMT |
LightningGG
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 384
Member Profile
|
5 Nov 2006 23:11:31 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| Saddam, next the Rajapaksarses, Bandaranikes, Ponseka, Elliya Ramuttan, Wickramanaipoo and the rest of the GOSL mass murderers |
Jinadasa
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 547
Member Profile
|
 5 Nov 2006 23:38:18 GMT Report for Abuse
|
First Mussolini, then Pol Pot...
Next..Bunker Monkey. Wanted by Interpol for murder, and sentenced to death by India. |
nada
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3974
Member Profile
|
6 Nov 2006 00:00:13 GMT Report for Abuse
|
....the impartiality of the commentators are well demonstrated here.....
In that case all those who defended their people, defended their nations from invaders and others who indulged in killing and destroying a people, a nation too to be hanged!
If so Churchill, Truman and many others who fought against Hitler too to be tried for killing! But I can't say so in the case of G.Bush, who had no business to go into Iraq and perhaps he too may qualify along with Saddam.
These punishment is for planned killers who want to destroy a race, or involved in genocide or acts against humanity. But Certainly not for freedom fighters and those who defended their land from invaders, defended their people from being destroyed or who fought those who involved in genocide.
THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE MY PAL. WHATEVER FEELINGS ONE HAS ONE CANNOT DEVIATE FROM NATURAL JUSTICE, UNLIKE IN SL. |
|
Search All News and Discussions 
5 Nov 2006 20:28:06 GMT