US accused of stalling Saddam trial

THE Iraqi justice minister yesterday accused the US of delaying the interrogation of Saddam Hussein.

Justice Minister Abdel Hussein Shandal also said he was confident that Saddam’s trial on war crimes charges would be over by the end of the year, underlining the Iraqi government’s determination to try the ousted leader soon.

“This trial will be accomplished within 2005 - and this will only be in Iraqi courts,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of an international conference on his country’s future.

US officials had no immediate comment on Mr Shandal’s remarks, but the Americans privately have urged caution about rushing into a trial, saying the Iraqis need to develop a good court and judicial system - one of the main topics of discussion at the conference in Brussels.

An official at the press office of the Iraqi Special Tribunal that is overseeing the court proceedings in Baghdad stressed it was an independent body and was not bound by the minister’s comments. He said no date had been set for Saddam’s trial.

“The interrogation of Saddam is taking place regularly and almost daily and neither the justice minister, nor the Americans, have anything to do with it because the IST is an independent court,” the official said. “Saddam’s trial will start as soon as the investigation finishes.”

The official also said things are taking place in stages and as scheduled.

Saddam, 68, has been jailed under American control at a US military detention complex near Baghdad airport named Camp Cropper, which holds 110 high-profile detainees.

But Mr Shandal alleged that US officials deliberately are trying to limit access to Saddam because they have their own secrets to protect, including funnelling money and support to the Iraqi leader during his rule.

US officials say Iraqis will decide on Saddam’s trial but there are concerns that a trial could interfere with the key process of writing a constitution and inflame sectarian tensions. The Iraqi government must finish a draft by mid-August so they can hold a referendum on the charter ahead of December elections for a full-term government.

Saddam faces charges that include killing rival politicians over 30 years, gassing Kurds in the northern town of Halabja in 1988, invading Kuwait in 1990, and suppressing Kurdish and Shi’ite uprisings in 1991. Mr Shandal said he also would face charges related to the destruction of Iraq’s infrastructure.

If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

The news follows revelations about the deposed tyrant’s life in captivity in the US media.

They reported that Saddam loves Doritos, hates Froot Loops, admires President Ronald Reagan, thinks Bill Clinton was “OK” and considers both Presidents George Bush “no good”. He talks a lot, worries about germs and insists he is still president of Iraq.