'Saddam thinks he's president'

2004-04-20 20:27

Cairo - A United States legal counsel who interrogated former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein said "he still thinks he is the president of Iraq", said the London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat on Tuesday.

The newspaper, which identified the legal counsel only as one working with the coalition provisional authority in Iraq, said Saddam was writing daily, always demanding pens and paper.

"He is completely isolated from other prisoners," said the counsel, adding that prison guards would keep him in isolation for fear that any other prisoner would try to kill him in revenge.

"We will not allow him to mix with other prisoners," she said.

The legal counsel added that Saddam was not aware of any of the developments taking place outside prison.

The former dictator was captured by US forces near his home town, Tikrit, in December.

He is under the custody of coalition forces. Coalition and Iraqi officials alike have said Saddam will be tried in public in an Iraqi court. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA