Hussein in court (file photo) (epa)
3 January 2006 -- Saddam Hussein said he would rather die by firing squad than by hanging if he is sentenced to death for war crimes, according to a report in "The Washington Times" today.
The U.S. daily quoted a lawyer for the ousted Iraqi leader as saying Hussein made the comments last month during a break in his trial.
Lawyer Issam Ghazzawi said he and another lawyer, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, raised the possibility that Hussein might be sentenced to death if convicted of war crimes.
Ghazzawi said Hussein told them: "I am the commander in chief.... I prefer it to be by firing squad."
Hussein's trial on charges of crimes against humanity is set to resume on 24 January.
(AFP/washingtontimes.com)
The Presiding Judge
The Presiding Judge
On November 11, 2005, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) spoke with Iraqi Special Tribunal presiding Judge Rizgar Muhammad Amin about the trial of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and seven of his associates... (more)