Moktada, Moktada, Moktada!
The New York Times reports on the raucous atmosphere in room where Saddam Hussein was hanged. The Mahdi Army was apparently put in charge of the execution on the Sunni celebration of the feast of Eid al-Adha, a traditional day of pardon and forgiveness. Abu Aardvark suggests the act of spite signals Washington's definitive embrace of the "Shi'a Option".
Meanwhile, here is La Repubblica's report on the burial:
The corpse was ferried by US helicopter from Baghdad to Tikrit, and sometime after 10 pm was handed over to Sheikh Ali al-Nida, the chief of the Abu Nasser tribe to which Saddam belonged.
The remains were loaded on a pick-up truck and escorted by over 30 automobiles belonging to the police and tribal members to a 40x40 meter audience room constructed by Saddam in his native village of Awja. Already present were all the Sunni dignitaries of the area, as well as relatives from Syria.
According to some of Saddam Hussein's cousins, as the body was laid to rest, there were more than 500 people present, who joined in a cry of "Allah Akbar". Outside, more than 100 men fired their Kalashnikov's into the air as dozens of women praised the martyrdom of Saddam. The crowd then began to shout the old slogan, "With our blood, with our souls, were are ready to die for you, O Saddam."
Before burying the coffin, relatives and clan members demanded to see the corpse. The coffin was opened and the crowd lined up to plant a kiss on Saddam's face. A cousin, Ibrahim al-Tikriti removed and kept the blue scarf placed around Saddam's neck before his hanging.
US troops remained a short distance away; the entrances to Tikrit were closed off. Mussa Faraj declared that the Americans had insisted on a rapid burial.
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Meanwhile, Italy's Premier Prodi protested the death penalty to Prime Minister al-Maliki and received the sharp retort, "So what did you do to Mussolini?. Our decision is none of your business."
Update: I believe La Repubblica reported that the Iranian ambassador was present at the execution of Saddam
Meanwhile, here is La Repubblica's report on the burial:
The corpse was ferried by US helicopter from Baghdad to Tikrit, and sometime after 10 pm was handed over to Sheikh Ali al-Nida, the chief of the Abu Nasser tribe to which Saddam belonged.
The remains were loaded on a pick-up truck and escorted by over 30 automobiles belonging to the police and tribal members to a 40x40 meter audience room constructed by Saddam in his native village of Awja. Already present were all the Sunni dignitaries of the area, as well as relatives from Syria.
According to some of Saddam Hussein's cousins, as the body was laid to rest, there were more than 500 people present, who joined in a cry of "Allah Akbar". Outside, more than 100 men fired their Kalashnikov's into the air as dozens of women praised the martyrdom of Saddam. The crowd then began to shout the old slogan, "With our blood, with our souls, were are ready to die for you, O Saddam."
Before burying the coffin, relatives and clan members demanded to see the corpse. The coffin was opened and the crowd lined up to plant a kiss on Saddam's face. A cousin, Ibrahim al-Tikriti removed and kept the blue scarf placed around Saddam's neck before his hanging.
US troops remained a short distance away; the entrances to Tikrit were closed off. Mussa Faraj declared that the Americans had insisted on a rapid burial.
::::::::::
Meanwhile, Italy's Premier Prodi protested the death penalty to Prime Minister al-Maliki and received the sharp retort, "So what did you do to Mussolini?. Our decision is none of your business."
Update: I believe La Repubblica reported that the Iranian ambassador was present at the execution of Saddam
Labels: Iraq
posted by Nur-al-Cubicle | 11:16 PM
2 Comments:
Hyderabad, Dec 30 (IANS) The execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein Saturday evoked strong public protests in Andhra Pradesh.
Protesters took out rallies and burnt effigies of US President George W. Bush. Holding posters of Saddam, they Shouting slogans of 'Down with American imperialism'.Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), which has a strong presence in this state capital In Hyderabad, MIM activists held protests in different places in the Muslim majority old city parts and held a demonstration in Mehdipatnam.
MIM president and former MP Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi said if Saddam had committed crimes he should have been punished by the people of Iraq or their elected government. "He was tried and punished the way the US wanted. The trial was big charade," he said.
"We are not saying that he should not have been punished but the question is who has the right to punish him. Certainly not a country which invaded Iraq," Owaisi told IANS."This is a murder of justice. Bush has proved that he is the Hitler of the 21st century," "It is Bush who should be hanged for killing thousands of people in Iraq and Afghanistan," and added: "If Saddam committed crimes against humanity, the crimes committed by Bush across the world are equally heinous. If Saddam has been hanged for his crimes why Bush should go scot-free?"
..
absurd thought -
God of the Universe wept
when Saddam was killed
he wanted him pissed on
being dragged through Baghdad
..
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