You have commented 375 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Iraq
Barzan's head popped off
2007-01-15
Two of Saddam Hussein's aides were hanged before dawn on Monday, the Iraqi government said, admitting that the head of his half-brother Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti was also ripped from his body during the execution. On the defensive after international uproar over sectarian taunts during the illicitly filmed hanging of the ousted president two weeks ago, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh insisted there was "no violation of procedure" during the executions of Barzan and former judge Awad Hamed al-Bander.

But defense lawyers and politicians from Saddam's once dominant Sunni Arab minority expressed fury at the fate of Barzan, Saddam's once feared intelligence chief, and there was also skepticism and condemnation of Iraq's Shi'ite-dominated government across the mostly Sunni-ruled Arab world. "The convicts were not subjected to any mistreatment," Dabbagh said describing the beheading by the rope as a rare mishap. "Their rights were not violated. There was no chanting."

Government adviser Bassam al-Husseini said the damage to the body was "an act of God". During his trial for crimes against humanity over the killings of 148 Shi'ites from Dujail, a witness said Barzan's agents put people in a meat grinder.

The treatment of corpses is a particularly sensitive issue in Muslim culture. Video footage of Saddam's body lying on a trolley showed what appeared to be a wound on his throat. Hangmen gauge the length of rope needed to snap the neck of the condemned but not to create enough force to sever the head.
Posted by:Fred

#53  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2007-01-15 23:22  

#52  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Daryl Fatwa   2007-01-15 23:19  

#51  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden   2007-01-15 22:38  

#50  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Eric Jablow   2007-01-15 22:09  

#49  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-15 22:06  

#48  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2007-01-15 21:41  

#47  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2007-01-15 20:45  

#46  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-15 20:24  

#45  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Sneaze Shaiting3550   2007-01-15 20:03  

#44  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: fever (formerly Rhodesiafever)   2007-01-15 19:38  

#43  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Unoluse Cleting4009   2007-01-15 19:26  

#42  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: RD   2007-01-15 18:56  

#41  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: DMFD   2007-01-15 18:40  

#40  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Chuck Darwin   2007-01-15 17:42  

#39  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: GK   2007-01-15 16:44  

#38  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Shipman   2007-01-15 16:28  

#37  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: regular joe   2007-01-15 16:20  

#36  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: anymouse   2007-01-15 16:11  

#35  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: gorb   2007-01-15 16:10  

#34  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Shipman   2007-01-15 16:08  

#33  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2007-01-15 16:00  

#32  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Icerigger   2007-01-15 15:50  

#31  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: john   2007-01-15 15:33  

#30  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Captain America   2007-01-15 14:16  

#29  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Captain America   2007-01-15 14:13  

#28  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2007-01-15 14:07  

#27  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Jan from work   2007-01-15 13:36  

#26  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: SwissTex   2007-01-15 13:33  

#25  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-15 13:31  

#24  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Intrinsicpilot   2007-01-15 13:30  

#23  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Silentbrick   2007-01-15 13:29  

#22  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: GK   2007-01-15 13:08  

#21  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: plainslow   2007-01-15 13:04  

#20  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Grunter   2007-01-15 12:58  

#19  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: regular joe   2007-01-15 12:07  

#18  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Jump Wheatch9614   2007-01-15 11:54  

#17  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: anonymous5089   2007-01-15 11:52  

#16  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: anonymous5089   2007-01-15 11:52  

#15  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: anonymous5089   2007-01-15 11:49  

#14  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2007-01-15 11:45  

#13  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2007-01-15 11:41  

#12  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Steve White   2007-01-15 11:40  

#11  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2007-01-15 11:31  

#10  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2007-01-15 11:19  

#9  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2007-01-15 10:57  

#8  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2007-01-15 10:32  

#7  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden   2007-01-15 10:28  

#6  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: anonymous5089   2007-01-15 10:16  

#5  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: CrazyFool   2007-01-15 10:13  

#4  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Glenmore   2007-01-15 10:12  

#3  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Mark E.   2007-01-15 10:07  

#2  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: MacNails   2007-01-15 09:59  

#1  comments); ?>werwer
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-15 09:52  

00:00