Appeals court to rule on guilty verdict by January

IRAQ’S appeals court is expected to rule on Saddam Hussein’s guilty verdict and death sentence by the middle of January, the chief prosecutor said yesterday.

Additionally, it has emerged, Iraq’s three-man presidential council agreed at least six months ago not to block the death penalty for Saddam, should it be upheld on appeal.

The news came hours after British prime minister Tony Blair said Britain is against the death penalty for “Saddam or anybody else,” but remained otherwise tightlipped on the sentence passed on the former Iraqi dictator.