Cox & Forkum: Old Acquaintance

CNN: Iraqi appeals court upholds Hussein death sentence.

The Iraqi High Tribunal’s appellate chamber on Tuesday upheld Saddam Hussein’s death sentence in the Dujail massacre case, Judge Aref Shaheen announced.

Shaheen said the court’s decision was the final word in the case.

The toppled Iraqi dictator’s execution must take place before January 27, Shaheen said. Iraqi law requires a death sentence to be carried out within 30 days.

On November 5, Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging for his role in the 1982 killings of 148 people in Dujail, a mostly Shiite town north of Baghdad. Hussein’s attorneys appealed, and the appellate chamber began reviewing the case December 5.

Hussein’s chief defense attorney, Khalil al-Dulaimi, said he had heard about the decision, but said it came from “an illegitimate and unconstitutional court.”

“We are not surprised by this crazy ruling,” al-Dulaimi said.

The lawyer, speaking from Amman, Jordan, said three other members of the defense team met with Hussein on Tuesday before the decision was announced and described him as being in high spirits.

Under international law, most governments have the power to stay any executions, but Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said his government would not do so in Hussein’s case.

Since Saddam may be hanged at any time, it may not be in 2007 that the Iraqi people receive justice for Saddam’s atrocities.

Hang Him HIGH…..

Iraq War Watch: Saddam Huissein Convicted and Sentenced to Hang For Crimes Against Humanity

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