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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Top Saddam aide sentenced to hang | Top Saddam aide sentenced to hang |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Iraq's High Tribunal has sentenced Saddam Hussein's former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan to be hanged. | Iraq's High Tribunal has sentenced Saddam Hussein's former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan to be hanged. |
| He was tried alongside the former Iraqi leader over the killing of 148 Shias in the village of Dujail in the 1980s. | He was tried alongside the former Iraqi leader over the killing of 148 Shias in the village of Dujail in the 1980s. |
| The trial court jailed him for life for his role, but an appeal court recommended the death penalty. | The trial court jailed him for life for his role, but an appeal court recommended the death penalty. |
| The death sentence was confirmed despite a plea by UN human rights chief Louise Arbour, who said an execution would violate international law. | The death sentence was confirmed despite a plea by UN human rights chief Louise Arbour, who said an execution would violate international law. |
| Anger | Anger |
| Ramadan continued to maintain his innocence as the verdict was handed down. | Ramadan continued to maintain his innocence as the verdict was handed down. |
| "God knows I didn't do anything wrong," the Reuters news agency reported him as saying shortly before the judge sentenced him to death. | "God knows I didn't do anything wrong," the Reuters news agency reported him as saying shortly before the judge sentenced him to death. |
| Allah is my supporter and will take revenge on all who treated me unjustly Taha Yassin Ramadan Questions over Iraq hangings class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/2333287.stm">Ramadan profile But his insistence made no impact on the final verdict. | |
| "The condemned Taha Yassin Ramadan shall be sentenced to hanging until death for committing deliberate killing crimes," Judge Ali al-Kahachi announced to the court. | "The condemned Taha Yassin Ramadan shall be sentenced to hanging until death for committing deliberate killing crimes," Judge Ali al-Kahachi announced to the court. |
| The sentence would automatically be reviewed by an appeals panel, the judge added. | The sentence would automatically be reviewed by an appeals panel, the judge added. |
| Ramadan reacted angrily to the sentence, declaring: "I swear to God that I'm innocent, Allah is my supporter and will take revenge on all who treated me unjustly." | Ramadan reacted angrily to the sentence, declaring: "I swear to God that I'm innocent, Allah is my supporter and will take revenge on all who treated me unjustly." |
| Controversial hangings | Controversial hangings |
| Saddam Hussein and two other key figures in his regime have already been executed. | Saddam Hussein and two other key figures in his regime have already been executed. |
| The former president was hanged on 30 December 2006. Leaked video footage of the execution - with onlookers shooting sectarian taunts as he stood on the gallows - caused an international outcry. | The former president was hanged on 30 December 2006. Leaked video footage of the execution - with onlookers shooting sectarian taunts as he stood on the gallows - caused an international outcry. |
| Two top aides, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, were put to death last month. | Two top aides, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, were put to death last month. |
| Barzan was decapitated by the noose around his neck, provoking more anger among Iraq's Sunni community. | Barzan was decapitated by the noose around his neck, provoking more anger among Iraq's Sunni community. |
| Three other men were given 15-year jail terms. | Three other men were given 15-year jail terms. |