Saddam's lawyers say trial of ousted Iraqi leaders 'invalid'
Pakistan Times Monitoring Report

AMMAN (Jordan): The defence team of toppled Iraqi president Saddam Hussein on Tuesday denounced as "invalid" plans by Iraq's interim government to start next week trying members of the country's ousted regime.

"The interrogation (of detainees) in the absence of their lawyers is invalid and the accusations made against them are also invalid according to legal rules," the spokesman for the Jordan-based team Ziad Khassawhen said.

"We have written to international organisations and the concerned parties over the past year-and-a-half but have been unsuccessful so far in meeting president Saddam Hussein or any of his companions," he added.

Trial next month

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said that the "symbols" of Saddam's toppled regime would start going on on trial as early as next week.

"The trial will begin next week of the symbols of the former regime who will appear in succession to ensure that justice is done in Iraq," Allawi told the interim national assembly in Baghdad.

Allawi made it clear that he was referring to Saddam and the 11 top members of his former ruling Baathist regime who are being held in US custody awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity.

His announcement came a day after Washington said that Saddam's trial should not be hurried - as Iraq marked the first anniversary of the capture of the former dictator by US troops.

The 67-year-old Saddam, who was captured December-13, 2003, is to be tried by a special Iraqi tribunal and could face the death penalty.

His defence counsel, which includes Arab and Western lawyers, was appointed by Saddam's wife, Sajida.●