'No tears' for Saddam
2005-10-18 21:36
Washington - Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said the country's people would have "no tears" for former dictator Saddam Hussein when he goes on trial on Wednesday, a US newspaper reported.
But Jaafari, whose brother and four cousins were executed during the Saddam regime, said he was not looking for personal revenge, The Washington Times said on Tuesday.
"I would like to see the trial take place and justice to be done and to be seen to be done," the prime minister was quoted as telling journalists at a private dinner at this residence.
"I do not rule out that there are groups who will use this opportunity to raise violence, but as far as Iraqis overall, there will be no tears for Saddam Hussein."
Saddam and seven associates go on trial from Wednesday on charges over the 1982 killing of 143 residents of the Shiite village of Dujail, allegedly as revenge for an attempt on his life.
Jaafari has previously spoken out in favour of execution for Saddam.
He said: "Irrespective of how I feel personally, this man has committed crimes against innocent people. He must be stopped and tried."
The prime minister said he tries to "forget" what happened to his own family when he was fighting the Saddam regime as an exile.
"I would like ideally to rise above the base emotions one has, but not to the point of compromising what is just and fair," he was quoted as saying.