Saddam Wants to challenge case in US Courts

SADDAM HUSSEIN is preparing a legal challenge in America to his trial for war crimes, according to leaked papers prepared by his defence team. Advice to take the case to the US courts is contained in a 50-page brief prepared by Clive Stafford Smith, the leading British human rights lawyer, which has been seen by The Sunday Times. The action is to ensure that Saddam receives the basic legal rights given to those tried in America, such as full access to his defence team and an independent judge and jury. The leaked brief, entitled "The Iraqi Special Tribunal as Victors' Justice -- the Inherent Illegality and Bias of the whole Process", argues that US law should prevail in the case because the trial is effectively being taken at the behest of the Americans. The first hearings against former members of the regime are due to start this week with Saddam's case expected next year. However, the prospect of lengthy "pre-trial litigation" in America could delay the prosecutions for years. The brief argues that Saddam will have difficulty obtaining a fair trial as leading members of the Iraqi and American administrations have already publicly called for him to be found guilty and killed -- to "validate" the war. [more]