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Saddam Hussein was hanged shortly before dawn today after the Iraqi Government
rushed through the formalities of his final hours.
With unexpected speed, the Iraqi Prime Minister swept aside any remaining
political hurdles and signed the former dictator’s death sentence. Iraqi and
US officials met for almost three hours late last night to confirm that all
legal requirements for the execution had been met.
The official witnesses to the execution gathered at the green zone in Baghdad
in the early hours as final preparations were made. A gallows had been
erected in a parade ground still dominated by a triumphal arch formed of
crossed swords held in hands modelled on Saddam’s own.
Judge Moneer Haddad, who was one of the official witnesses, told The Times
that he read the death warrant to Saddam before asking him for his last wish
and request. Another witness, a Muslim cleric, then asked Saddam to deliver
his final words.
Earlier, Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, insisted that there would
be “no review or delay” in carrying out the sentence. To do so would be an
insult to his victims, he said: “Our respect for human rights requires us to
execute him.”
In his high-security cell near Baghdad airport, Saddam would have been aware
that his end was near.He was allowed a visit by his half-brothers. Saddam
gave them his will, and they left with his personal belongings.
An official close to Mr al-Maliki said the Government had decided to expedite
Saddam’s route to the gallows “because a lot of Iraqis believe in
conspiracies and thought a group might help him escape”.
The physical transfer of Saddam from American to Iraqi authorities was one of
the last steps before the hanging. The former dictator had been in US
custody since he was captured in December 2003.
The way for the execution was cleared yesterday by Mr al-Maliki and Jalal
Talabani, the Iraqi President. They agreed that the hanging could go ahead
without reference to the country’s three-man presidency council, as was
expected, because Saddam’s case had been dealt with by a special tribunal
and not the regular Iraqi courts.
Saddam’s lawyers made a desperate last-minute application asked a US judge for
a stay of execution, but it was denied.
Iraqi authorities have imposed a curfew on Saddam’s home town of Tikrit.
Romano Prodi, the Italian Prime Minister, said: “The execution of Saddam
Hussein fills us with horror. We had hoped that human pity and political
sense would inspire wiser decisions.” In the United States, Iraqi-Americans
gathered at a mosque last night in anticipation of Saddam Hussein’s
execution, praying for the death of the former Iraqi dictator. People honked
car horns, sang and danced in celebration.
Dave Alwatan, 32, one of dozens of men at the mosque in Detroit, said: “Now
there will be peace for my family. My dream has come true.” He said that
Saddam’s forces tortured and killed family members that were left behind
when Mr Alwatan left Iraq in 1991.
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