Saddam Hussein’s trial in Baghdad had two monkey wrenches thrown in it today: the murder of yet another lawyer associated with the case and his lawyer’s suspension of contact with the tribunal trying him until they get better security — and they’re even asking for the trial to be moved abroad to protect all involved.
The latest murder makes it clear it’s very perilous to be a lawyer in Baghdad if you’re working on the Saddam side:
Gunmen on Tuesday opened fire on a car carrying two lawyers defending some of Saddam Hussein’s co-defendants in a trial for crimes against humanity, killing one and wounding the other, police and defense team sources said.
The attack followed the murder of another defense lawyer in the team who was shot the day after the trial started in Baghdad last month.
Police and defense team sources said Adil al-Zubeidi was killed in the attack in western Baghdad, while Thamer Hamoud al-Khuzaie was wounded.
Both men were on a team defending Saddam’s brother Barzan al-Tikriti and former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan, legal sources said.
Saddam’s main lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, blamed the government for Tuesday’s attack, telling Al-Jazeera television that the shooting was carried out by “an armed group using government vehicles.�
This AP story notes that there have been allegations of sectarian violence involving government forces — a charge the government denies.
Meanwhile, Saddam’s lawyers are demanding safeguards:
Lawyers representing Saddam Hussein today reiterated their suspension of contacts with the special tribunal trying the ousted Iraqi president until they are given better security.
‘The defence team reaffirms that it is totally committed to its decision to suspend all contact with the tribunal,’ said a statement.
The team took the original decision late October, following the killing of Saadun Janabi, an attorney representing one of Saddam’s co-defendants, a day after the ousted dictator’s trial opened on charges of crimes against humanity.
The statement added that the team ‘has not meanwhile had any contact with the government or the tribunal’ about its security.
A statement issued last month said: ‘In view of the dangerous security conditions in Iraq and their impact on Iraqi members of the defence team, along with the never-ending threats against them and their families… a decision has been taken to fully suspend all contacts with the Iraqi Special Tribunal.’
Defence lawyers said their boycott would last until their demands were met and appealed for a time freeze on proceedings in the meantime.
In fact, Reuters reports, Saddam’s lawyers are asking that the trial be moved out of Iraq:
Saddam Hussein’s defence lawyers on Monday called for his trial to be moved abroad to protect their lives after growing threats since the murder of a colleague.
A defence lawyer who requested anonymity told Reuters moving Saddam and his aides abroad was the only way to protect the defendants and their lawyers, adding “the growing intimidation and threats against them will never allow the trial to be fair�.
A statement for the lawyers of Saddam and his aides and sent to Reuters called for the “transfer of the place of detention of the President and his aides to another country because of grave danger to their lives�.
It said the defence team had received no word from the court or the government guaranteeing its safety since the murder of a defence lawyer a day after his court appearance at the start of the trial on Oct 19.
All of this could complicate the case greatly, particularly if there are more killings of lawyers. And allegations that the killers are going around in government vehicles will only give ammunition to some who will try and question the legitimacy of the outcome of this trial, which should be a slam-dunk given what’s known about the behavior of Saddam, his regime and his sons.
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