Reidblog [The Reid Report blog]

Saddam and his cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid (known as Chemical Ali) were charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The other defendants were charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Hearings in the Anfal case continued after the verdict in the Dujail case was announced in November, with the last session of the trial taking place on December 6.

Both the Anfal campaign and the Halabja massacre were among the seven preliminary charges listed at Saddam's first court appearance on July 1, 2004.

The other charges, which were initially expected to form the bases of subsequent trials included the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the crushing of the Kurdish and Shia rebellions in 1991 after the first Gulf War, the killing of thousands of political opponents over a 30- year period, the disappearance of 8,000 members of the Barzani Kurdish clan in 1983, and the execution of five Shiite religious leaders in 1974.

People close to former foreign minister Tariq Aziz had said Aziz planned to testify on Saddam's behalf at the Anfal trial, which was to be next, and that disclosures in that trial would have been, shall we say, revelatory about the involvement of foreign governments, including the United States, in supplying chemical munitions to Iraq. (That's why the saying goes, we know Hussein had weapons of mass destruction in the 1980s, because we have the receipts...)

Killing Saddam has elated Saddam's enemies in Iran, and the Shia and Kurds in Iraq (and Dearborn, Michigan,) but it hasn't answered some of the salient questions about his rule, and about U.S. involvement in propping him up over the years (including arming both sides during the Iran-Iraq war.) And it has denied answers and justice to far more people, including, ironically, the same Shiites and Kurds who are dancing in the streets today. Funny that.

On that subject, an Iranian official said of the execution:

"The execution of Saddam Hussein was a victory for the Iraqi people and no other country should take credit for that," Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid-Reza told IRNA in a first reaction by Tehran to the execution.

Assefi however criticised the swift execution and speculated that the United States preferred to avoid disclosure of more details in the court hearings.

"Investigation into the Iraqi invasion in Iran (1980-1988) and in Kuwait (1990) could have disclosed the US involvement in Saddam's crimes and therefore the Americans preferred to close the case earlier," the Iranian official said.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

Dec. 30, 2006 - Ali Al Massedy was 3 feet away from Saddam Hussein when he died. The 38 year old, normally Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's official videographer, was the man responsible for filming the late dictator's execution at dawn on Saturday. "I saw fear, he was afraid," Ali told NEWSWEEK minutes after returning from the execution. Wearing a rumpled green suit and holding a Sony HDTV video camera in his right hand, Ali recalled the dictator's last moments. "He was saying things about injustice, about resistance, about how these guys are terrorists," he says. On the way to the gallows, according to Ali, "Saddam said, ‘Iraq without me is nothing.’"

Ali says he followed Saddam up the gallows steps, escorted by two guards. He stood over the hole and filmed from close quarters as Saddam dropped through—from "me to you," he said, crouching down to show how he shot the scene. The distance, he said, was "about one meter," he said. "He died absolutely, he died instantly." Ali said Saddam's body twitched, "shaking, very shaking," but "no blood," he said, and "no spit." (Ali said he was not authorized to disclose the location, and did not give other details of the room.)

Ali said the videotape lasts about 15 minutes. When NEWSWEEK asked to see a copy, Ali said he had already handed the tape over to Maliki's chief of staff. "It is top secret," he said. He would not give the names of officials in attendance, though he estimates there were around 20 observers. One of them, Iraqi National Security Adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, told CNN that Saddam clasped a Koran as the noose was tied around his neck, and refused to wear a hood. He also said that government officials had not decided whether or not to release the videotape. The execution reportedly took place at 6:05 a.m. local time. Prime Minister Maliki did not attend.

Spokesman Scott Stanzel said the president was told of the impending hanging Friday afternoon and went to bed shortly before it took place, with instructions not to be woken up.

For many ordinary people in the Arab world, Saddam Hussein was admired if not particularly loved.

He was an active and strident supporter of the Palestinian cause and many regarded him as a strong leader who dared to defy both America and Israel. Images of the former leader having the noose pulled around his neck will shock many.

Libya has declared three days of national mourning.

Lawmakers and members of the militant Palestinian group, Hamas, have condemned the execution, with one calling it "a political assassination" that "violated international laws".

Opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq was almost unanimous in the region. So perhaps it was no surprise that his trial was also regarded as unfair, as an exercise in 'victor's justice'.

Many Arab governments and people saw the legal process as instigated and controlled by Washington.

Despite the insistence that the trial, verdict and now execution was a purely Iraqi affair, few in the Middle East will believe that.

Saudi Arabia said it was surprised and dismayed at the timing of the execution on the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid al-adha. There was also criticism at how quickly the trial was over amid accusations it had been politicised.

But for those who crossed swords with Saddam, his execution is welcome news.

Iran fought a long and bloody war with Iraq that killed hundreds of thousands of people on both sides. The country's deputy foreign minister called it a "victory for Iraqis". Hamid Reza Asefi predicted it would lead to more violence in the short-term, but would ultimately benefit the country.

But the response from Kuwait, a country Saddam invaded in 1990, was more muted. The state-owned news agency reported the only official reaction which was that this was "a matter for Iraqis".

Most other governments in the region have remained completely silent. To be fair, this is the first day of Eid al-Adha, the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar. Even so, it seems many have chosen not to step onto what is widely regarded as extremely delicate territory. ...

"The government told us to send provincial representatives, including the governor or his deputy and the leader of Saddam's tribe to the burial of executed Saddam," Abdullah Jabara, deputy governor of Salahudin province told Xinhua by telephone.

"I answered that we will not go to Baghdad unless they agree to give us his body to hold a suitable funeral for him and bury him in Uwja village beside his sons Uday and Qusay," Jabara said. ...

... Meanwhile, Jabara said that the city of Tikrit, capital city of Salahudin province, was under curfew and security forces intensified patrols.

However, security measures did not prevent people in many cities of Salahudin province from taking to the streets and protesting Saddam's execution. ...

...The demonstrators raised posters of Saddam Hussein and angrily chanted slogans slamming the execution of the ousted leader.

"This is an unjust and aggressive act toward many Iraqis," Muhammad Tawfiq, a demonstrator, told Xinhua.

"The execution itself on the first day of Eid al-Adha is a violation of rights of millions of Iraqi Sunnis," Tawfiq said, adding that "this is an insult at Sunnis. We condemned this cowered act."