Q (Through interpreter.) First of all, I would like to congratulate you for the transfer of sovereignty. But lots of legal experts, and especially the Arabs, they are now questioning the legitimacy of this government, and they say that if the former regime elements and Saddam Hussein were to declare another government in exile, they have the right to do so. What is your opinion?
PM ALLAWI: What is your source?
Q: It was on the Internet and this is the opinion of the Egyptian legal experts.
PM ALLAWI: (chuckles..no response provided.)
article
PM ALLAWI: What is your source?
Q: It was on the Internet and this is the opinion of the Egyptian legal experts.
PM ALLAWI: (chuckles..no response provided.)
Great answer.
Q Sir, will Saddam have the right to represent himself in court? And if he does have that internationally recognized legal right, then how will you prevent him from behaving like Milosevic did in his -- the early days of his trial, and indeed now, which has gone on for about two years and has no end in sight, and caused at the time a degree of unrest in Serbia?
PM ALLAWI: (In English.) No, Saddam will be entitled to have representation. He is entitled to appoint lawyers, and maybe if he doesn't have money to appoint lawyers the government will pay the money so -- (chuckles) -- so he's represented well. We assure you that it will be a just trial and a fair trial, unlike the trials that he afflicted on his enemies, on the Iraqi people.
Q: I'm sorry, sir; that's not what I asked. Will he be able to represent himself if he so chooses, without an attorney?
PM ALLAWI: (In English.) Yeah, yeah. He can represent himself, yes.
PM ALLAWI: (In English.) No, Saddam will be entitled to have representation. He is entitled to appoint lawyers, and maybe if he doesn't have money to appoint lawyers the government will pay the money so -- (chuckles) -- so he's represented well. We assure you that it will be a just trial and a fair trial, unlike the trials that he afflicted on his enemies, on the Iraqi people.
Q: I'm sorry, sir; that's not what I asked. Will he be able to represent himself if he so chooses, without an attorney?
PM ALLAWI: (In English.) Yeah, yeah. He can represent himself, yes.
Isn't the question of what he inflicted on the Iraqi people what is to be determined in a trial? The Prime Minister seems to be pulling a John Ashcroft.
Q (Through interpreter.) (Name off mike) -- Egyptian Near East Agency. The Americans gave status of -- POW status to Saddam Hussein. Are you going to lift this status on him once you take over his custody?
PM ALLAWI: His status is not of interest to us. The status that was given to him when he was arrested by the coalition forces is not of interest to us. What is of interest to us is the status under which we take custody of him. He is accused of crimes that he has committed in Iraq and he is an accused that is facing accusation, and he does not have any privileges under the POW status of Geneva Convention.
PM ALLAWI: His status is not of interest to us. The status that was given to him when he was arrested by the coalition forces is not of interest to us. What is of interest to us is the status under which we take custody of him. He is accused of crimes that he has committed in Iraq and he is an accused that is facing accusation, and he does not have any privileges under the POW status of Geneva Convention.
And he is still in physical custody of the U.S. Anything can happen.
Q (Through interpreter.) Dr. Allawi, you have said that this is going to be an open hearing. What if Saddam asks the tribunal for this proceeding to be not open to the public?
PM ALLAWI: The fact that this is an open hearing, a public hearing, is a guarantee. If he wants to give up this guarantee, it's up to him. But the interests behind having a public hearing is that you have a guarantee that the proceedings are fair. And if he wants to give it up, we might look into that and let him get it.
PM ALLAWI: The fact that this is an open hearing, a public hearing, is a guarantee. If he wants to give up this guarantee, it's up to him. But the interests behind having a public hearing is that you have a guarantee that the proceedings are fair. And if he wants to give it up, we might look into that and let him get it.
Anything can happen. Sorry, we can't tell you what's going on. He asked for a private hearing and to be his own attorney.
....hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
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