The Hindu : International : `Saddam lawyers' cry foul

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 02, 2004

International

International

`Saddam lawyers' cry foul

AMMAN (JORDAN), JULY 1. The former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein's court appearance on Thursday dominated TV across the Arab world, where such images are unprecedented and where aggressive new media are unrestricted by Government censors.

``Arab citizens, by watching these images of Saddam in court, will have more confidence that the post of the president or ruler will not enjoy eternal immunity,'' said the Yemeni writer, Faris Ghanim. He said Mr. Hussein's trial showed that ``Arab leaders are not above the law and they can be tried if they committed crimes against their own people.''

In an Amman office, though, lawyers who claim to represent Mr. Hussein cried out in protest as they watched television pictures of the former Iraqi leader appearing before a judge, saying they should have been by his side.

One of the lawyers, Tim Hughes of Britain's Bevan Ashford consultancy firm, was asked how he could defend a man infamous for atrocities against his own people. Mr. Hughes said the team ``respects that everybody has the right to be defended. It is a fundamental human right and we respect this fundamental human right.''

Mr. Hughes said he and his colleagues were ``kept in the dark'' about the proceedings. He said the lawyers were ready to go to Iraq, but ``we will be wanting to have full assurances'' of their safety.

Ziad Aziz, the eldest son of the former Iraqi Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, who is being tried along with Mr. Hussein, briefly stopped by the law office on Thursday to sign documents appointing the team to defend his father. ``I leave it to God and his mercy,'' was his only comment.

The defence team, which includes lawyers from Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Libya and Western countries such as the United States, Britain, France and Belgium, is headed by the Jordanian, Mohammed Rashdan, who accused the interim Iraqi Government and the court trying Mr. Hussein of being ``illegitimate because they were appointed by the occupation.''

Elsewhere, questions about the proceedings were raised even by those like the Syrian analyst, Ahmad Haj Ali, who said Mr. Hussein should be tried.

``Any ruler who caused pain for his people deserves to be brought to trial,'' Mr. Haj Ali said. ``I think trying Saddam Hussein is necessary, but after the Iraqi people gain their freedom and build their institutions. Only then can they try him''.

The Kuwaiti Information Minister, Mohammed Abul-Hassan, called Mr. Hussein a ``criminal'' after the latter defended Iraq's 1990 invasion of its Gulf neighbour during the court appearance. Mr. Hussein also referred to the Kuwaitis as ``dogs,'' leading to an admonishment from the judge. Mr. Abul-Hassan said the former Iraqi leader should be executed.

However, Mr. Hussein did have supporters, among them Palestinians in the refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh in Lebanon.

``He is a strong man who supported the Palestinians and we refuse to believe he is finished. His trial is illegitimate,'' said Issam al-Yousseh, a 35-year-old refugee. During his three decade-long rule, Mr. Hussein championed the Palestinian cause. He gave money to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers who attacked Israelis and fired 39 missiles carrying conventional warheads at Israeli cities during the 1991 Gulf War.

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