Lawyer: Red Cross documents show Saddam abuse

NEW YORK (CNN) — A lawyer for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has alleged that Red Cross documents show his client has been abused while held in detention.

Jordanian defense lawyer Mohammad Rashdan showed CNN the documents, which were filled out after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited the captured leader on January 21.

Rashdan showed one page of the ICRC report, on which various boxes can be checked to indicate the physical condition of a detainee.

"Good health" and "slightly wounded" are marked to indicate Saddam’s condition.

"Why would he be slightly wounded a month after his arrest?" Rashdan asked during an interview with CNN.

"He’s being abused, just like the prisoners of Abu Ghraib were abused."

However, the attorney had no proof of any abuse.

Rashdan has never spoken to or seen Saddam, despite making several requests to do so, he said.

Saddam was captured by U.S. forces in December near his hometown of Tikrit and has remained in coalition custody at an undisclosed location since.

Rashdan said he has sent several letters to U.S. officials, including Attorney General John Ashcroft, requesting his client have "the basic rights anyone on the face of this earth has: the right to a representation and fair trial."

So far he has received no responses, he said.

The attorney is in the United States this week, visiting media outlets with the ICRC documents.

He is set to appear on several American news programs and plans to hold a news conference in Washington in the coming days.

Rashdan also complained that he doesn’t think the United States will be able to provide him and his client with a safe meeting place when they are finally able to get together.

"They cannot even protect their own troops from insurgents. It’s a disgrace," the attorney said.

"How can they provide me with a chance to sit down and talk to him without dangers of all kinds looming around us?"

Pentagon sources have said Saddam is being held in Iraq but the exact location has not been disclosed for security reasons.
Letter to daughter

Rashdan also showed CNN part of the ICRC report entitled the "Family Message" section.

In it, Saddam had written a letter to his daughter, Raghad, though most of the text is blacked out.

It is not clear if the redaction was done before the letter was sent, or if it was blacked out afterward to protect the family’s privacy.

"To my small family and my big family ... in peace," part of the letter reads.

"As far as my soul and my morale, they are twinkling in the great Lord’s blessing. My regards to everybody, (signed) Saddam Hussein," the letter finishes.

U.S. officials have said that the former president has been less than cooperative during questioning by interrogators and has not divulged much useful information.

Saddam has not yet been officially charged with any crimes.

When asked if the former president would testify on his own behalf at a trial, Rashdan said that question is "jumping the gun."

The attorney said that in his view, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was illegal, and therefore, everything that came after it is "null and void."

On Tuesday, Salim Chalabi, the head of the Iraqi war crimes tribunal, said that the Iraqi government could get legal custody of the former president while leaving him under U.S. guard.

Chalabi said he doesn’t believe at present that Iraq has the ability to hold Saddam securely, citing the chance that insurgents might try to spring him from jail.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released at the end of April showed that 83 percent of Iraqis questioned agreed the former president should be put on trial, and 84 percent believed him probably guilty of murder and torture.

A majority, 56 percent, believed Saddam will get a fair trial, and 61 percent would support the death penalty for him

Rashdan says his client is the sole legitimate president of Iraq, and he believes he should be treated according to the Geneva Conventions — and with the respect due his position.

Saddam himself appears to agree with his lawyer. On the ICRC document, he listed his occupation as "Republic’s President."

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/06/22/saddam.lawyer/index.html