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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Arab nations fund Saddam’s defence |
| 2004-07-06 |
| Arab countries, including Libya, are contributing to a legal defence fund for toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, a French lawyer said. Emmanuel Ludot, the French lawyer serving as part of a 21-member legal team set up to defend Saddam, said that "diverse aid and diverse gifts" have already been donated. He refused to specify how much money had been collected so far or reveal its origins, except to say that some Arab countries have contributed and that the daughter of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, a lawyer who recently joined the committee, has offered some financing. Gadhafi’s eldest daughter, Aicha Moammar Gadhafi, "wanted to provide her logistic and financial aid," Ludot said. "It’s Libyan money. It’s welcome." He said funds that Saddam is alleged to hold in overseas accounts also could be used in his defence. "Our job is to have this money freed up ... so that we can face all the expenses," Ludot said at a news conference in Paris. "I don’t despair that we can find someone in the United States to try to negotiate this." He added that the money in the lawyers’ fund was "obviously completely clean." The lawyer said it was not possible to become "Don Quixotes of justice," working for nothing and assuming expenses individually, especially considering how long the trial might take. Ludot said the committee hopes to extend proceedings as much as possible. "They told us the trial would be long, complicated, that it would take two years. I don’t know," Ludot said, citing Salem Chalabi, general director of the Iraqi court. "Our work will be to do things in a way so that this tribunal doesn’t function, so that it is paralysed for as long as possible," he added. He reiterated earlier denunciations of the judges who are to try Saddam and predicted that, as things stand, the trial would be unfair. The lawyers’ committee wants to see Iraqi judges as well as judges designated by the United Nations. Ludot cited the UN-sponsored war crimes court in Sierra Leone as a model of how Saddam should be tried. The trial of rebel military commanders accused in a 10-year campaign for control of Sierra Leone opened Monday. The committee is led by Jordanian lawyer Mohammed Rashdan, who says he was hired by Saddam’s wife Sajida and two daughters. Ludot said Saddam should choose his own lawyers, but he has been barred from any contact with the outside world. Saddam was formally handed over to the interim Iraqi government on Thursday. However, the US occupying forces are overseeing his detention. The secret detention site is not far from the Baghdad airport, Ludot said without elaborating. |
| Posted by:TS(vice girl) |
| #8 Jeez, I kinda hope Sammy IS stupid enough to give a French lawyer access to his money stash... |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-07-06 11:12:06 PM |
| #7 This is to be expected -- it is in the self-interest of every dictator in the ME, and that's a shitload of shitheads, to see to it that deposed dictators are treated well. Death, no matter how much blood is on their hands, can't be an acceptable end... Heh. Wrong, 'tards. You're all coming down, sooner or later, and sooner by your own choice is better for your health. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-07-06 10:44:05 PM |
| #6 "diverse aid and diverse gifts" have already been donated. Goats? Sheep? Did they set up donation cans in the Paleo metal shops? Yasser sends good thoughts and best wishes? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-07-06 10:11:46 PM |
| #5 BAR, I don't know about Iraqis generally, but the boys at Iraq the Model piss on their fellow Arabs pretty regularly. "Thanks for all the help, guys." |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-07-06 9:57:08 PM |
| #4 The idiot despot should be limited to a small defense team paid a small lump sum. Ludot should be the focus of Iraq's effort to locate stolen loot and repatriate it. All of this info should be widely disseminated in Iraq -- especially the help for the idiot despot from brother Arabs. The trial should showcase the atrocities and genocide in graphic detail, and every minute of it carried without commentary, C-SPAN style, by al-Hurrah. And most importantly, Judge Lance Ito should NOT be assigned to the case. |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2004-07-06 9:46:40 PM |
| #3 Any chance the Iraqi public is aware of this? Make sure they know fully of their Arab brethren's efforts to defend their former oppressor. I'm sure that'll be received well. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-07-06 9:39:40 PM |
| #2 He said funds that Saddam is alleged to hold in overseas accounts also could be used in his defence. "Our job is to have this money freed up ... so that we can face all the expenses," Ludot said at a news conference in Paris... The lawyer said it was not possible to become "Don Quixotes of justice," working for nothing and assuming expenses individually, especially considering how long the trial might take. Ludot said the committee hopes to extend proceedings as much as possible. ... "Our work will be to do things in a way so that this tribunal doesn’t function, so that it is paralysed for as long as possible," he added. Typical trial lawyer plan to extend the trial until the clients funds are completely exhausted. These parasites should not be allowed to be paid from Saddam's stashed loot. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-07-06 7:47:25 PM |
| #1 well shoot, how about we Paypal for the rope they hang his dictator-ness with? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-07-06 7:40:43 PM |