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"I would not personally be surprised because it will be the outcome of a year of miscarriage of justice," Dulaimi said. (Reuters) |
BAGHDAD � The death penalty for ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is not surprising, said chief of the defense team, charging that the US and Iraqi authorities wanted to push ahead with the capital punishment to "score political points".
"I would not personally be surprised because it will be the outcome of a year of miscarriage of justice," lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi told Reuters in an interview.
Saddam and seven former regime officials face the capital punishment verdict on Sunday, November 5, over the alleged killing of 148 Shiite villagers after an attempt on his life in the town of Dujail in 1982.
Ahead of the verdict, Iraq has stepped up security measures across the war-torn country over fears of a new spree of bloodshed.
The Iraqi authorities also ordered a curfew in the country's two most volatile provinces -- Baghdad and Diyala -- and in the northern province of Salaheddin, which contains Saddam's hometown of Tikrit.
Iraq has cancelled all military leave and put its armed forces on alert to prevent violence before or after Sunday's ruling.
"All military personnel are on alert. Leave has been cancelled and we are on alert for any possible emergency. Those on leave should report to their units," said defense ministry spokesman Major General Ibrahim Shaker.
Boosting Bush
Dulaimi said Saddam's expected verdict was timed to boost US President George W. Bush's Republicans ahead of the November 7 midterm Congress elections.
"The President believes the verdict is timed to boost Bush's plunging popularity," he said.
The chief lawyer said that the defense team has sought to delay the verdict against the deposed Iraqi leader.
"We have requested at least a two-month adjournment to allow us to complete our presentations in the case in which our defense rights have been violated and in which our clients have been denied full legal defense."
American voters will go to polling stations on Tuesday, November 7, to cast ballot in the crucial midterm elections with opinion polls predicting a sweeping victory for the Democrats.
A report by the Rothenberg Political, an independent analytical firm, predicted that Republicans will most likely lose five to seven Senate seats and 34 to 40 seats in the House of Representatives.
All 435 House seats, 34 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 governorships are up for grabs in the November elections.
Appeal
Dulaimi said that the defense team will appeal the expected death sentence verdict.
"If the court decided on a political and negative verdict we will appeal the verdict," he added.
Under the statutes establishing the tribunal in December 2003, both the defense and the prosecution have the right to appeal the verdict.
Such an appeal would need to focus on an error in procedure or non-respect for the law, and would be heard by a panel of nine judges.
A successful appeal would lead to a new trial.
Dulaimi assailed the US-backed Iraqi legal process and the fairness of Saddam's trial, saying the tribunal's legitimacy was in question.
"This court is a creature of the US military occupation and the Iraqi court is just a tool and rubber stamp of the invaders," he added.
"The trial of the President should not proceed this way in a climate of mounting political pressure for a quick conviction that demolishes the trial's impartiality," he said.
Dulaimi said the credibility of the trial had been tarnished by delays, the murder of defense counsel, courtroom chaos and political interference and court bias against the defense.
"During all these months the court has deliberately sought to limit our access and ability to defend the President... this means that justice has not been done," he said.