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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Saddam aides to go on trial within weeks |
| 2004-09-05 |
| Iraq (news - web sites)'s toppled leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and his top aides will go on trial within weeks, Iraqi Minister of State Kasim Daoud said on Sunday. Daoud told a news conference in Kuwait City after talks with top officials that "Saddam Hussein and his band will stand trials within a period of weeks." Asked if the United States will play any role in the trials, he said: "We have barred the Iraqi government from playing a role, how can we allow a foreign faction to have a role in Saddam Hussein's trial? No...Saddam Hussein will be tried by the Iraqi judiciary and it will issue its just sentence against him." In mid-August, Iraq's Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi urged an Iraqi court to speed up proceedings against Saddam. Saddam -- removed in last year's U.S.-led war on Iraq -- was arraigned before an Iraqi judge on July 1 and charged with crimes against humanity. Several of his top aides also appeared separately before the same judge for their arraignment. Pending trial, they are being held in a secret location by U.S. forces under Iraqi jurisdiction. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |