Iraq's ex-Deputy PM Tariq Aziz Rejects Charges
Pakistan Times Monitoring Desk

BAGHDAD (Iraq): Tariq Aziz, the envoy of the former Iraqi regime argued Friday that he was not personally responsible for any murders during his appearance before an Iraqi judge.

Aziz, a former foreign minister and deputy prime minister was among 12 defendants, including Saddam Hussein, who appeared before the judge to hear charges against them. Aziz asked the judge for an Arab non-Iraqi lawyer and a foreign lawyer as well.

Denies any Direct Act

If there was a crime the moral responsibility rests with the leadership, he said but a member of the leadership cannot be personally responsible. I never killed anybody by any direct act.''

Deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein dismissed legal proceedings against him as "theatre" on Thursday as he made a defiant first appearance in front of a court, which is to try him for crimes against humanity.

Minutes after Saddam left the courtroom, his former presidential secretary Abed Hamid Mahmud was brought in.

The Associates

Others official of Saddam regime, who appeared before the tribunal were: Abed Hamid Mahmoud, presidential secretary, Ali Hassan al-Majid, presidential adviser and cousin of Saddam, Aziz Saleh al-Numan, head of the former ruling Baath party for western Baghdad, Mohammed Hamza al-Zubaidi, former member of the decision-making Revolutionary Command Council, Kamal Mustafa Abdullah, commander of the elite Republican Guards, Taha Yassin Ramadan, vice-president, close Saddam aide, Tareq Aziz, deputy prime minister, Sultan Hashem Ahmed, defence minister, Watban Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, presidential adviser and half-brother of Saddam, Barzan Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, presidential adviser and also half-brother, Sabir Abdul Aziz al-Douri, military intelligence chief and mayor of Baghdad.

Saddam Back in Cage

Meanwhile, the deposed President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was placed back in his prison cell after making a defiant court appearance in Baghdad.

Watched on TV by millions around the world, the former President rejected the legitimacy of the tribunal, declaring: "Bush is the real criminal."

An All-Theatre

Tariq also dismissed the hearing as "all theatre" and refused to sign the charge sheet without lawyers present.

But the head of the tribunal, Salem Chalabi, said Saddam was generally "very demure" while the charges were read out.

"His mood suddenly dropped and he realised what he was up against - except when it came to Kuwait. Then he became combative. With the exception of a few incidents which are now being shown on TV he was very demure and scared.

Live Broadcast Stopped

Later hearings may not be broadcast live for fear of acting as a rallying call to insurgents.

Seven broad charges were levelled against Saddam during the 30-minute hearing in a former palace close to Baghdad airport. They ranged from the gassing of Kurds in Halabja in 1988 to the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Specific allegations will be made later.

The legal process, which could take years to complete, could result in Saddam being given the death penalty. He was followed in court by 11 of his henchmen including Ali Hasan Ali al-Majid, better known as 'Chemical Ali' for his role in the Kurds atrocity. They were charged with crimes against humanity.

Baghdad Hotels hit by Rockets

Two hotels in Baghdad used by foreigners and Iraqi officials were hit by rockets on Friday morning and guards outside one of them said at least three people were wounded or killed.

Nearby, police found a pickup truck flipped over on its side with 17 rocket launchers and a crude firing mechanism inside.

Police said they believed three rockets had been fired and the force of launching them had flipped the truck over.

Gadhafi's daughter joins Saddam's defense Team

Meanwhile a report from Jordan says that the daughter of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi wants to help defend Saddam Hussein in court, a Jordanian lawyer and member of the defense team representing the former Iraqi leader said Friday.

'Dr. Aicha Moammar [Gadhafi] is a law professor and she is all-set to join the defense team and form a Libyan law experts team to defend Saddam Hussein,' Ziad al-Khasawneh said.
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'The daughter of the Libyan President is welcomed to join us and we consider her as an official member of the team,' he said, adding that the Jordanian-based multinational defense team had telephoned Moammar on Thursday to offer their thanks.

A statement issued Friday by a charity association headed by Gadhafi's daughter, aged in her late 20s, said she wanted to guarantee Saddam received a 'fair trail (based on) the principle that all accused should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.'●