WAR: Saddam and Others to be Handed over before Power Transfer

Saddam Hussein and members of his party now in U.S. and Coalition custody will be handed over to the Iraqis before the June 30th deadline for power transfer states Salem Chalabi, a lawyer. Currently Saddam Hussein is being held in a secret prison in Iraq since his capture.

Saddam to Be Handed Over Before Power Transfer
"The coalition forces now have more than 100 detained former regime officials," Salem Chalabi told reporters in Kuwait. "They will be transferred to us before the transfer of power, and they include Saddam Hussein, Ali Hassan al-Majid and Tareq Aziz."

Chalabi, a U.S.-educated lawyer who is director-general of administration for the special tribunal set up to prosecute Saddam, said the Iraqi trials will begin early next year but added that Saddam will not necessarily be the first in the dock.

"The punishments against those criminals will include executions," Chalabi told reporters upon arrival in Kuwait where he will collect evidence against Saddam, whose forces occupied the tiny Gulf Arab state in 1990.


I do not put much credence into anything said by Mr. Chalabi. This requires confirmation from other U.S. sources, namely Bremer, before being touted as accurate. I question Iraq's ability to be a sovereign nation at this time and more so their ability to try Saddam in a court case.


[Edited on 5-11-2004 by worldwatcher]

Well this'll be interesting. The way things are going over there, I think there will probably be a significant number of people (maybe 10 to25%) that will want to see hime regain control!