Saddam Hussein's lawyers postpone travel, chairman of the court is in Kuwait
The defense commission for the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein postponed its travel to Baghdad because of the lack of necessary protection for such travel, while a split surfaced among its members over the legitimacy of the special Iraqi court which started trial of Saddam Hussein last week.
The chairman of the defense commission which is chaired by the Jordanian lawyer Muhammad al-Rashdan said in a press statement that the travel of the committee, expected this week, was postponed until next week, waiting for ensuring protection, " both the Iraqi and American authorities so far failed to ensure for us." He added "Should they allege protection of democracy and human rights, then let them ensure protection for us, " he explained.
The defense commission chaired by the Jordanian lawyer Muhammad al-Rashdan decided in a meeting held at the headquarters of the vocational trade union complex on Wednesday evening to form a committee of 30 Jordanian and Arab judicial figures to meet with the former Iraqi President in his jail and to discuss with him and this committee to move under the protection of the " UN and the ICRC."
The chairman of the Jordanian bar association Hussein Majli opposed the decision and adopted the position of the Arab bar association on the need not to take part in the defense trial in front of the Iraqi court "so as not to legitimize it."
Meantime, the chairman of the special court on trying Saddam Hussein, Salem Chalabi, currently visiting Kuwait, yesterday met with the Attorney General and chairman of the investigation office in the Iraqi war crimes in Kuwait Sultan Bu Jarwa in order to discuss the trial.
Bu Jarwa stressed in a press statement that Saddam Hussein will not escape punishment, noting that he owns " authentic evidences" condemning Saddam Hussein over committing war crimes during the phase of his invasion of Kuwait. Bu Jarwa is following up a file prepared by the Kuwaiti government to be submitted to the Iraqi judges upon convening the trial sessions expected to start by the beginning of 2005.