Saddam supporters against executing sentence

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-28-2006 14:01

There was mixed Iraqi reaction to the High Court's rejection of Saddam Hussein'e appeal against his death sentence. While many Iraqis say hanging is a fair judgment for the former Iraqi leader, Saddam's lawyer and supporters say that executing the former leader will lead to yet more chaos and violence in Iraq.

The death sentence was passed at a time of raging violence between Saddam's fellow Sunni Arabs and majority Shi'ites. The Shiite and Kurdish communities, Saddam's main victims during his 24-year rule, have been keen to speed up the execution.

Abu Mohammed, Baghdad resident, said, ""We wish him to be hanged as soon as possible because he committed many crimes that cannot be described."

Ahmed Saleh, Iraqi Kurd, said, "We demand that this decision be implemented immediately. It is the decision of the Iraqi people who were oppressed during Saddam's regime."

However, Saddam's chief lawyer Khalil Dulaimi said Wednesday that the verdict was political more than legal. And he warned that the execution would lead to to further violence.

Khalil Dulaimi, Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer, said, "The verdict is political and the trial is political and it aims to destroy the unity among Iraqi citizens, and the unity of Arab countries and to create chaos in the Middle East."

Residents in Saddam's hometown Tikrit reacted with some pro-Saddam Sunnis denouncing the Dujail trial as "wrong".

Tikrit resident, said, "The Iraqi people are displeased with the court's decision. It is wrong and illegal. We call for the release of Saddam Hussein."

Saddam was given the death sentence in November for his role in the killings of 148 Shiite villagers after a failed 1982 assassination attempt against him in the village of Dujail.

Editor:Du Xiaodan