Allawi: "As for the execution, that is for the court to decide"

July 5, 2004

Allawi also said Monday he wouldn't interfere with an Iraqi tribunal's right to decide whether Saddam and his top lieutenants should be executed on war crimes charges.

In an interview with the Arab language television station Al-Arabiya, Allawi said he was willing to abide by whatever the court decided in the trial, which is not expected to begin for months. Iraq assumed legal custody of Saddam from the United States last week and re-instituted the death penalty, which had been suspended by U.S. occupation authorities.

"As for the execution, that is for the court to decide - so long as a decision is reached impartially and fairly," he said.