Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

Execution of Saddam Hussein

    BAGHDAD, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Sunday that he is determined in executing "Chemical Ali" and two aides of Saddam Hussein.

    At a news conference held in Baghdad, the prime minister said that "We are determined that the law be applied and those (convicted) be handed over to judicial system."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, seen here in October 2007, says he is "determined" that "Chemical Ali" and two other cohorts of Saddam Hussein be hanged for genocide against ethnic Kurds.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    He criticized the United States for refusing handing over the three for execution, which should be fulfilled more than a month ago according to the Iraqi law.

    "We have asked the side concerned (U.S. officials) to hand over the prisoners but regrettably the U.S. embassy has a role to prevent handing over of them or tried to hand over some of them and delaying some others," he added.

    However, Maliki said he has no objection to exclude Saddam's defense minister Sultan Hashim al-Taie from execution but stressed that a legal way out is needed for the impasse.

    "If they (judiciary officials) find a legal way not to execute some of them, I will welcome that, but nobody was able to find such way," Maliki said.

Ali Hassan al-Majid -- also known as "Chemical Ali" -- listens to prosecution evidence during his trial in January 2007.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The three, "Chemical Ali," Saddam's half brother Ali Hassan al-Majid notorious for his use of poisonous gas against Kurds, Sultan Hashim al-Taie and Hussein Rasheed Mohammad, a former deputy director for the Iraqi Armed Forces were convicted by the Iraqi High Criminal Court of genocide, war crimes and war against humanity in June and got death penalties by hanging.

    In September, an appeals court upheld the verdict, which means the executions would be carried out within 30 days according to the Iraqi law.

    However, the executions were delayed due to the coming of Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

    At Sunday's news conference, the Iraqi prime minister also disclosed that an amnesty would be announced for detainees who have been slightly involved in insurgency in the war-torn country.

    But he stressed that the amnesty would not fall on those who committed killings and bombings and were found guilty by the Iraqi courts.

    "I have talked with the legal department and the political council national security about granting amnesty for detainees and they all agreed on the necessity for releasing those who were deceived and those who committed minor crimes," Maliki told reporters.

    "We believe that some detainees were deceived and lured to commit such crimes and their families will not allow them to return to terrorism," he said.

    Meanwhile, Maliki gave a positive criticism to the security situation in the capital, saying the "terrorist acts" in Baghdad have lowered by 77 percent from the last year's level.

    He saw the security improvement as a signal that the sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shiite communities is reaching its end.

    "When the sectarian conflict is over, then I will not be worried from those gangs who are running between the provinces," he said, referring to the al-Qaida and some other Sunni insurgent groups that fled the capital to provinces to continue insurgent acts.

    The Iraqi prime minister also warned the neighboring countries of the presence of those insurgent groups who are fleeing Iraq to their soils.

    "The majority of those terrorists are fleeing to neighboring countries, and I warned our brothers in the neighboring Islamic and Arab countries to take care so that they would not harm them," Maliki said.