- A Jordanian lawyer who claims he represents Saddam Hussein
said he believes the ousted Iraqi leader was subjected to torture, although
a copy of a letter reportedly sent to his daughters seems to show the ex-president
in good spirits.
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- Mohammed Rashdan said he had a copy of a January 21 report
by the International Committee of the Red Cross that said the detainee's
health was good but that he was "slightly wounded." It gave no
details on the injury.
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- "This is blatant proof that the Iraqi president
was subjected to physical and moral torture and violence," said Rashdan,
who says Saddam's wife appointed him as lawyer shortly after the ex-leader's
December 13 capture.
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- Rashdan provided The Associated Press with a copy of
an ICRC form he said was filled out when the group visited Saddam. It listed
his full name, date of birth and his health condition.
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- The ICRC has visited Saddam at least twice since January,
once in late February and once in late April. A spokesman for the group's
Iraq delegation in Jordan could not confirm a meeting with Saddam on January
21.
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- Rashdan also gave the AP a copy of an undated letter
carried by the ICRC from Saddam to his daughter, Raghad, who lives in Amman
with her sister, Rana.
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- Several paragraphs of the letter were censored out with
black ink, leaving just a brief message.
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- "In the name of the Almighty and Merciful God ...
to my small family, to my big family," the letter said. "As for
my spirit and morals, they are glittering with the blessing of God the
creator and the great."
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- Raghad and Rana, who have lived in seclusion in Jordan
since leaving their country in July, could not be reached for comment.
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- The ICRC said it gave the daughters a letter from Saddam
after a February 21 meeting, and received another from him after their
April 27 meeting. ICRC rules limit prisoners to discussing only personal
matters in their correspondence, and the letters from Saddam go through
a US censor.
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- Saddam has been held in an undisclosed location since
his capture.
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- Rashdan, who has repeatedly complained about not being
allowed to meet his client, on Wednesday sent a request to US Secretary
of Defence Donald Rumsfeld.
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- Rashdan, who was affiliated to the Baath party, had been
assigned by the former Iraqi regime to represent the government in several
cases. His team includes Washington lawyer Curtis Doebbler and French lawyer
Emmanuel Ludot.
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- It is not clear whether Rashdan's claim to represent
Saddam would be accepted by the US-led coalition that toppled and captured
Saddam or the Iraqi tribunal preparing to try him for war crimes.
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- US officials have said they will turn Saddam over to
an Iraqi court set up to try him and other leaders of the former government.
In April, that tribunal appointed judges and prosecutors.
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- © 2004 AAP Copyright © 2004. The Age Company
Ltd.
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- http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/10/1086749812954.html?oneclick=true
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