Australian PM cogratulates Bush and supports death penalty for Saddam

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 15, 2003

Australian PM cogratulates Bush and supports death penalty for Saddam

With his congratulation to US President George W. Bush on the capture of Saddam Hussein, Australian Prime Minister John Howard also said on Monday he supports a possible death penalty for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

With his congratulation to US President George W. Bush on the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Australian Prime Minister John Howard also said on Monday he supports a possible death penalty for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Howard told local ABC radio that Bush phoned him early Monday morning to brief on details of the capture of Saddam. And he congratulated Bush and particularly the US military on the mission.

Howard said Bush was naturally pleased and relieved at Saddam's capture, but not triumphant.

According to Howard, he and Bush agreed that the capture of Saddam has an enormous "psychological effect" in the post-war Iraq, where the US-led coalition forces are under frequent attacks by Saddam loyalists or supporters.

Howard said "now Saddam's capture will have delivered an enormous blow to those people and it will alter their whole psychology and their whole morale, but it doesn't mean to say they'll stop, it doesn't mean that those who come from other countries won't still try and murder American and allied soldiers."

"If it (death penalty) were imposed, absolutely," Howard told Nine television network when asked about the fate of Saddam.

He said it would be better if Saddam is tried in Iraq, adding "I'm not particularly attracted to the idea of him being tried say (in an international tribunal) in The Hague."

In a separate interview on the local ABC radio, he said the head prosecutors and members of any court that hears Saddam's case should be Iraqis.

"His crimes were overwhelmingly against the Iraqi people and I would ... think that the principal prosecutors and the principal staffers of the tribunal or court, whatever it may be, should be Iraqis," he said.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Saddam refuses to cooperate with US military: Rumsfeld

Saddam's capture gives Bush huge boost

Saddam detained; Bush says attacks not over

US will attack from space? China and Russia call for space arms prohibition ( 6 Messages)

China opposes foreign interference on HK affairs: Official ( 11 Messages)

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein arrested ( 19 Messages)

Nanjing Massacre remembered ( 11 Messages)

World leaders on Saddam Hussein's capture ( 4 Messages)