Appeals Court Upholds Saddam Hussein's Death Sentence
BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi appeals court has upheld the death sentence imposed on Saddam Hussein at his first trial, Iraq's national security adviser said Tuesday, and a tribunal official said the verdict will be carried out even if the presidency doesn't ratify it.
The appeals court decision must be ratified by President Jalal Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents. Talabani opposes the death penalty but has in the past deputized a vice president to sign an execution order on his behalf — a substitute that was legally accepted.
Once the decision is ratified, Saddam and other co-defendants sentenced to death at the trial would be hanged within 30 days. ...
Raed Juhi, a spokesman for the High Tribunal court that convicted Saddam, said the Iraqi judicial system would ensure that Saddam is executed even if Talabani and the two vice presidents do not ratify the decision.
"We'll implement the verdict by the power of the law," Juhi said without elaborating. ...
I'll have to do some research to see if they do but I hope Iraq does hangings Afghan style; neck, noose, crane, lift. Squirm baby, squirm. My preference would be to put him feet-first into a wood chipper like he enjoyed doing to people he didn't like.
Had the appeal dragged on until April, they’d have been barred from executing him under an Iraqi law that forbids the execution of people aged 70 and older.
Now that the sentence has been upheld, they’ve got 30 days to carry it out. An unnamed Iraqi official told AFP two weeks ago they’ll execute him “immediately at the very first opportunity” after the appellate decision is handed down, security permitting. ...
