Demonstrators demand ‘death to Saddam’

BAGHDAD – At least 1 000 people calling for the death of detained former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein paraded through central Baghdad yesterday, displaying posters of relatives killed during his years in power.

“Death to Saddam, death to the Baath party”, they chanted as they marched down a main road in the Iraqi capital followed by others in trucks. Brandishing posters of executed loved ones and holding banners proclaiming “Our goals are peace and freedom”, the protesters wound their way peacefully to gather around central al-Tahreer square.”No no Baath party! Yes yes Iraq!” they chanted, led by a band of men shouting into loudspeakers.Organised by a group of political parties including the Iraqi National Congress of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, the protesters demanded the death sentence for the detained dictator and warned any foreign lawyers planning to come to Iraq to defend him to stay away.”We want the new government to kill Saddam and other leading members of his Baath Party,” shouted Mohammed Hussein Fadal al-Rubaie, waving a poster of his dead brother, Ali, 27, who he said was executed in 1983 for being a member of the then-outlawed Dawa party.One young boy at the front of the crowd of largely male protesters held a poster that read: “All Iraqis think Saddam brought shame to our country.””He killed my brother,” said Alaa Hamid, 15, explaining his venom towards the ex-president.Police in vans and on foot kept a close watch on the demonstrators.”There are about 1 000 people taking part in the protest and so far it is peaceful,” said one police officer, Luay Habib, driving at the front of the march.Ziad Hidaya al-Mussawi, a member of the homeland party of the independence of Islam, which also helped to organise the event, said that at least 3 000 protesters were taking part.- Nampa-AFPBrandishing posters of executed loved ones and holding banners proclaiming “Our goals are peace and freedom”, the protesters wound their way peacefully to gather around central al-Tahreer square.”No no Baath party! Yes yes Iraq!” they chanted, led by a band of men shouting into loudspeakers.Organised by a group of political parties including the Iraqi National Congress of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, the protesters demanded the death sentence for the detained dictator and warned any foreign lawyers planning to come to Iraq to defend him to stay away.”We want the new government to kill Saddam and other leading members of his Baath Party,” shouted Mohammed Hussein Fadal al-Rubaie, waving a poster of his dead brother, Ali, 27, who he said was executed in 1983 for being a member of the then-outlawed Dawa party.One young boy at the front of the crowd of largely male protesters held a poster that read: “All Iraqis think Saddam brought shame to our country.””He killed my brother,” said Alaa Hamid, 15, explaining his venom towards the ex-president.Police in vans and on foot kept a close watch on the demonstrators.”There are about 1 000 people taking part in the protest and so far it is peaceful,” said one police officer, Luay Habib, driving at the front of the march.Ziad Hidaya al-Mussawi, a member of the homeland party of the independence of Islam, which also helped to organise the event, said that at least 3 000 protesters were taking part.- Nampa-AFP