The US is planning to create a tribunal of Iraqi judges to try Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity rather than prosecuting him before an international court.
As American forces hunting Saddam issued photofit pictures of what he might look like in disguise and the fugitive dictator issued a new tape recording calling for resistance, state department officials said they were looking for an Iraqi-led process to deal with the human rights abuses committed under his regime.
”We think it’s important that Iraqis assume ownership of this process,” said state department spokesperson Richard Boucher, adding that the international community could aid the process with financial help and legal experts.
Peter Galbraith, a former US ambassador and Iraq expert said the approach was motivated primarily by the Bush administration’s desire to avoid setting up a UN tribunal.
”They think an Iraqi court will be quicker and will impose the death penalty,” Galbraith said.
Units including the secretive Task Force 20, have been issued with pictures showing what Saddam might look like in disguise.
”They are a series of photos that are digitally enhanced to show Saddam in various states: shaven, unshaven, bald, and all the things of that nature,” Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Gainer said. The US is offering $25-million for information leading to the capture or proof of death of Saddam.
But while the state department appeared to be making plans for Iraqi tribunals, hawks in the administration were reportedly mulling a more terminal solution, concerned that a trial could give Saddam an outlet to whip up Arab hostility to the US-led occupation.
A Pentagon official said yesterday that Saddam’s fate would depend on the circumstances in which he was tracked down and whether he decided to make a last stand like his sons, Uday and Qusay. They were killed when their hideout in the city of Mosulin northern Iraq was pounded by US forces.
Saddam’s whereabouts may remain a mystery, but his taped messages continue to nag at the occupying forces.
In the second tape released in the last three days purporting to carry his voice, the speaker vowed to inflict defeat on US occupation forces and promised a return to power ”at any moment”.
The recording, broadcast on al-Jazeera TV network, said: ”Only the actions of the faithful who struggled and fought can evict the invaders. Our belief is strong that God can grant us victory.”
The CIA said a message broadcast on al-Arabiya channel on Tuesday was almost certainly recorded by Saddam.
In an apparent bid to boost the numbers of those actively fighting the Americans, in yesterday’s broadcast Saddam appeared to issue a general amnesty for looters. ”We have decided to consider all the properties of the party and the government a gift to whoever has it, to use as they see fit, to keep or to sell without any restrictions, free from legal constraints now or in the future,” the voice said.
The attacks on coalition troops continued yesterday, with a US convoy coming under attack near Falluja. US officials said four attackers were killed. A pipeline near the Baija refinery in northern Iraq was also burning yesterday following a blast on Thursday night. – Guardian Unlimited Â