Reuters: Iraq man to face magistrates over Saddam taunting

[Eugene]

Iraq man to face magistrates over Saddam taunting
Tue Jan 9, 2007 2:41pm ET

By Ibon Villelabeitia

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi officials have handed a man over to magistrates
after a government investigation into who taunted Saddam Hussein with sectarian
abuse moments before the former president was hanged, an Iraqi official said
on Tuesday.

Iraq government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said an official government inquiry
concluded that the taunting captured on an illicit video of Saddam's December 30
execution could be blamed on "individual behavior".

-snip-

"The government has discovered the person who did this," Dabbagh told a news
conference, referring to the shouting.

-snip-

He did not identify the man or explain why he was the only person under
investigation for jeering Saddam on the gallows.

-snip-

Full article: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2007-01-09T193917Z_01_IBO961619_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-SADDAM.xml

Something tells me they're blaming the guy with the camera phone.

[magellan]

1. I suspect you're right

The videophone guy is probably already dead.

[htuttle]

2. I'm sure it was "just a few bad apples" and didn't go any higher

You can almost smell the Pentagon's breath on Iraqi government press releases, can't you?

[sabra]

3. popular Iraq blog suggests Iraq's NSA al Rubaie is one of the voices on the tape

http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_healingiraq_archive.html#116747600962651269

Saddam (as the noose is put around his neck): Ya Allah (Oh God).
Someone in the audience: Mercy be on those who pray for Mohammed and the household of Muhammed (Everyone repeats the prayer, including Saddam) -
Executioner and two people in the audience: ... And hasten his return (the Mahdi), curse his enemy and grant victory to his son, Muqtada, Muqtada, Muqtada! (This is a common Sadrist chant.)
Saddam (smirking): Muqtada? Is this your manhood? (unclear)
NSA Muwafaq Al-Rubai'i: To Hell!
Saddam: (laughing) ... and disgrace to you. (unintelligible)
Prosecutor Munqidh Al-Far'awn: Please, no.
Muwafaq Al-Rubai'i: Longlive Mohammed Baqir Al-Sadr!
Someone in the audience: To Hell!
Prosecutor Munqidh Al-Far'awn: No. Please, no. I beg you. The man is in an execution.
Saddam (solemnly recites the Shahada prayer): I witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Mohammed is the messenger of Allah. I witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Mohammed is the-- (trap door is opened).
Audience (in unison): Prayers for Mohammed and the household of Muhammed.
Someone: The tyrant has fell. May Allah's curse be upon him.
Someone: May Allah's curse be upon him.
(commotion in the hall)
Someone: No. No. Stay back.
Someone: Leave him for 8 minutes, boys. Don't take him down.
Someone: Everyone. Stay back. Everyone. Back.

[gratuitous]

4. One person who can sound like a chanting mob?

The Iraqis are prosecuting . . . Michael Winslow?