“Saddam may never be tried”

10/9/2005 9:15:00 PM GMT

“Saddam Hussein may never come to trial”, said Salem Hussein, Iraq's former Special Tribunal director.

Addressing audience at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative Washington think tank, Salem Hussein, the nephew of Ahmed Chalabi said that Saddam's trial may never come to fruition.

Saddam's defense team says that the Iraqi Special Tribunal responsible for trying the toppled Iraqi leader and members of his former regime is illegitimate.

Amatzia Baram, a senior fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Center, made similar remarks at the AEI meeting. Baram said that the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country may hinder the government's ability to hold Saddam's trial as scheduled.

Salem Chalabi added that Iraq’s bold resistance has hampered the country's ability for constructive institution building and that the state system there, including the judiciary, is faltering.

Saddam's trial, due to be held on Oct. 19, four days after Iraq’s cucial vote to approve the new draft constitution, is expected to start with a reading of charges against Iraq's deposed leader and motions likely to be filed by lawyers, AFP reported.

A source close to the court expects a trial adjournment at the end of the day, which means that the next hearings might not take place for several weeks.

Saddam and former members of his regime are charged with the 1982 massacre of Dujail residents. Dujail, a Shiite village north of the Iraqi capital, was the site of several assassination attempts against the former Iraqi President.

If convicted, Saddam could face the death penalty, the source said.

"Things that could take place on the first day are the court informing the defense council what is expected of them, hearing from the defendants that they are present, that they are represented by counsel and the reading of the criminal violations that the defendants are accused of," the source said.

"The defense may have arguments for more access to documents" held by prosecutors, the source added.

"The defendants will all be there throughout the trial". "All the defendants will be sitting together".

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