Iraqi Police Say Al-Qaeda Judiciary Plot Foiled

Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AFP) 27 November 2005 -- Iraqi authorities claimed today that they have smashed an Al-Qaeda cell that was plotting to kill the chief judge in charge of building the case against ousted leader Saddam Hussein.

Police Colonel Anwar Kadir said that eight members of a cell linked to the Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda were arrested during a raid on 26 November on a house in the northern city of Kirkuk.

Kadir said the men, all Sunni Arabs, were found with a letter from a former deputy of Saddam Hussein's, Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, urging them to kill Raid Jouhi.

Juhi is the chief investigative judge on the Iraqi High Tribunal, which is empowered with judging former regime officials, including Saddam Hussein, for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.

The trial of Hussein and seven co-defendants resumes on 28 November after a five-week recess.

Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark and ex-Qatari Justice Minister Najib al-Nauimi are expected to join chief Iraqi lawyer Khalil Dulaymi for the proceedings, which have until now been entirely Iraqi-run.

(compiled from wire reports)