home

Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 12:58:00 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Saddam Hussein had another outburst at his trial today. While a witness was on the stand testifying about his agents torturing people by tearing off their skin, Saddam claimed that he has been tortured during his time in detention.

"I want to say here, yes, we have been beaten by the Americans and we have been tortured," Saddam said, before gesturing to his seven co-defendants around him, "one by one."

After sitting quietly through several hours of testimony, Saddam said he'd been beaten "everywhere on my body. The marks are still there."

Chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Mousawi said Saddam's claims will be investigated.

< Cheney Casts Tie Vote to Pass Spending Bill | Appeals Court Refuses to Move Jose Padilla , Blasts Bush >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention | 5 comments (5 topical)
    Re: Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention (none / 0) (#1)
    by swingvote on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 01:12:59 PM EST
    I hope this isn't true (and doubt very much that it is), but I'm glad the prosecutor is taking it seriously and will investigate it. If it is true, I hope they find and punish the people involved. But either way, I won't lose any sleep over Saddam being tortured.

    Re: Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 01:25:12 PM EST
    I understand that if true, the people invloved should be punished, but if Saddam was making it up, what can be done to him?

    Re: Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 02:06:07 PM EST
    Why do you use the pejorative term "outburst" adopted from the corporate media? From what I saw on TV, it was a perfectly reasonable, calm statement.

    Re: Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention (none / 0) (#4)
    by Slado on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 02:32:32 PM EST
    Saddam's strategy is simple. Like Milosevich he has little options. He is so guilty that in rare cases like his the proponderance of guilt makes it hard for him to get a fair trail and that's the last thing he wants. He wants to grandstand, make a mockery of the court and hope beyond hope that somehow he can get asylum or escape. When you have a 99.999% chance at the hangmans noose who cares what you say or do. You know you're guilty, your lawyers know you're guilty so what shouldn't he do and what can the court do to him now? He's going to be convicted and punished eventually. If I was Saddam I'd pull out all the stops.

    Re: Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention (none / 0) (#5)
    by Steven Sanderson on Wed Dec 21, 2005 at 04:52:03 PM EST
    The Hussein trial highlights the difference between a few bad American apples and a few bad Iraqi apples. The prosecution witnesses have testified that they'd observed torture and killings by Hussein's thugs, but not by Hussein himself. The actions of a few bad Iraqi apples results in the trial of the Iraqi president because he's considered, as well he should be, to be responsible for the actions of those under him. Conversely, Bush is not held accountable for the actions of a few bad American apples beneath him. The television coverage of the trial is exposing this hypocrisy to the world.

    Saddam Alleges Torture in Detention | 5 comments (5 topical)