Saddam may not hang within month -

[badgerpup]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAC857574.htm

BAGHDAD, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein may not hang this coming month, senior officials said on Thursday, casting doubt on how government factions may interpret an appeal court ruling that appeared to say he should die within 30 days.

The officials indicated it seemed unlikely the former Iraqi president's sentence would be carried out before late January, despite a court statute that says executions must take place within 30 days after the sentence is confirmed.

Two days after the appeals court upheld his conviction for crimes against humanity and referred to the rule setting the apparent 30-day deadline, the cabinet and president have repeatedly declined formal comment on when Saddam may hang, fueling speculation that rival parties are divided on the issue.

A deputy justice minister told Reuters his department would not carry out the sentence for at least a month. The chief court spokesman said there was a "misunderstanding" on the statute and said Saddam might not hang until February or later.

Only if Iraq's three-man Presidency Council issues a decree ordering the execution sooner would the Justice Ministry execute the ousted leader before Jan. 26, the court's Raed Jouhi told Reuters. If there were no decree, he would be hanged any time after that, at a date to be set by the Justice Ministry.

"The Justice Ministry will not implement it before one full month is up," Deputy Justice Minister Bosho Ibrahim, from the Kurdish minority, said when asked about a tribunal statute which states that the punishment must be carried out within 30 days of the date when the judgment becomes "final and non-appealable".

Political considerations and conflicting interpretations of the rules of the U.S.-sponsored court have been a feature of the process since Saddam and his aides went on trial 14 months ago."

Stay tuned, gang. This could go into overtime.
:argh:

[Monkeyman]

1. Nope he has been Transfered into Iraqi hands about an hour ago

Inside people say Friday he will be gone F News will break the Story

[Kagemusha]

3. Sounds like they're just trying to cast doubt to dampen demonstrations

until after Saddam's actually dead at least.

[seriousstan]

5. No, the OP news item is older than the breaking news that he will die by Sunday.

I think everyone in Iraq will know the when and where of Saddam's execution.

[rebel with a cause]

8. Broke

Fox news announced that Saddam will hang today.

[onehandle]

2. Too bad. Because as soon as this "boogeyman" is dead, the question is...

WHERE'S OSAMA, SMIRK?

[Monkeyman]

4. Yep

[951-Riverside]

6. The UN should step in and put an end to this stupidity. n/g

[Javaman]

7. Timing is everything...

he won't swing until moron* knows for sure the best time to 1) give his* speech and tell us "freedom is on the march, because saddam is doing the rope dance 2) timing it so after he swings the U.S. can start dropping bombs on Iran and the media whores will do the saddam tango 24/7 to distract the masses 3) he will swing on jan 19th to trump anything the Dems say when they take over the house or 4) moron* will wait to milk it for all it's worth before any investigations begin on his* ass.