Saddam must NOT be put to death, says exile

08 November 2006

AN EXILED Iraqi whose relatives were murdered by Saddam Hussein's henchmen has warned AGAINST executing the former dictator.

Tahrir Swift, who fled Iraq with her father more than a decade ago to live in Ridgeway Crescent Gardens, Orpington, believes the sentence announced by an Iraqi court on Sunday is inhumane, and risks elevating Saddam to martyrdom.

She said: "Two of my cousins were killed by Saddam. All my family was exiled after severe torture of my brother and father by Saddam and half of my extended family exiled.

"But I do not want revenge I want the truth, the truth about who supported his regime and armed it.

"Truth and justice have not been served well today in Iraq by this political show trial. It will succeed in making Saddam a martyr in the Arab and Islamic world, a status he does not deserve."

Mrs Swift said she was "overwhelmed with emotions" at the sentence, but that Iraq's former leader should have been brought to justice in a different way.

"I would have preferred Saddam to be brought to justice in an independent, sovereign and calm Iraq or in The Hague where all evidence could be presented.

"I feel cheated by the whole trial process, whose sessions have undoubtedly been used as a political tool both by the US occupiers and the successive Iraqi government."

"With rivers of blood flowing on the streets of Baghdad, the whole Saddam trial looks meaningless. It does not mark the prevailing of justice, nor the rule of law."

However, the court's decision was welcomed by Ghalib Al-Nasser, a British national who moved to the UK from Iraq in 1962 as a 16-year-old student.

Mr Al-Nasser, from White Horse Hill, Chislehurst, told the Bromley Times that Saddam's speedy execution was essential to "remove the final chapter of that black history of Iraq".

He said: "I think it is a great joy for the vast majority of Iraqis living in Iraq and overseas.

"From my own point of view I am very happy, although not about the overall situation in Iraq at the moment.

"Hanging Saddam will remove the final chapter of that black history of Iraq for over 30 years. To imprison him for life I think it will be a great mistake."

Mr Al-Nasser said criticism from groups like Amnesty International, against the use of the death penalty was "wrong".

He said: "The court's decision was the correct decision and it should be put into action as soon as possible after the appeal.

"For other people to judge I think is wrong. Each country has got its own standards of what is acceptable and what is not.

"It is obvious what a tyrant he was. But we have gone through the legal system and have done everything correctly."

patrick.clift@archant.co.uk