Tags:
Journalism of Courage
An Iraqi government official said on Wednesday that preparations were being made to hang two of Saddam Hussein8217;s co-defendants on Thursday.
Al-Arabiya satellite television and Al-Furat TV, run by Iraq8217;s major Shi8217;ite Muslim political organisation, both also reported that Saddam8217;s half brother Barzan Ibrahim, a former intelligence chief, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, the former chief justice of the Revolutionary Court, would be hanged on Thursday. The two co-defendants were originally scheduled to hang last Saturday along with Saddam.
The hanging of Barzan and al-Bandar was delayed, however, until after the Eid al-Adha holiday, which ends Wednesday for Iraq8217;s majority Shi8217;ites.
The holiday marks the end of the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
The Barzan and al-Bandar executions were delayed because, 8220;we wanted him Saddam to be executed on a special day,8221; National Security adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie told state-run al-Iraqiya television on Saturday after the former leader was put to death.
Saddam was hanged at a former military intelligence headquarters in Baghdad8217;s Shi8217;ite neighbourhood of Kazamiyah.
The Iraqi official that confirmed the planned Thursday executions said final arrangements still needed to be made with US officials about the time and place because the American military was expected to transport the two men from prison to the execution site.
Official held for video leak: Meanwhile, the person believed to have recorded Saddam Hussein8217;s raucous execution on a cell phone camera was arrested on Wednesday, an adviser to Iraq8217;s prime minister said.
A US military spokesman said the United States would have handled the execution differently had it been in charge.
The adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not identify the person. But he said it was 8220;an official who supervised the execution8221; and who is 8220;now under investigation.8221;
The leaked cell phone video showed the deposed leader being taunted in his final moments, with witnesses shouting 8220;Go to hell!8221; before he dropped through the gallows floor and died.
8211;QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
