Another Saddam Defense Lawyer Murdered
Jacob Cherian - All Headline News Staff Writer Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - One of Sadaam Hussein's main lawyers was shot to death on Wednesday after he was kidnapped from his home by men wearing police uniforms. This was the third killing of a member associated with Hussein's defense team since the trial began eight months ago. Khamis al-Obeidi was an Iraqi lawyer who represented both Sadaam Hussein and his half brother Barzan Ibrahim in their trial. Police Lt. Thaer Mahmoud said that his body was found near a Shiite street in Sadr City. Chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi confirmed that al-Obeidi had been killed after the police showed a photograph of Obeidi 's face, head and shoulders covered in his own blood. Saddam's top lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi said, "The aim of this act is to terrify the lawyers and hinder the work of the defense team." He added, "We strongly condemn this act and we condemn the killings done by the Interior Ministry forces against Iraqis." Bushra al-Khalil, a Lebanese member of the defense team said that Americans were to blame because they stopped providing protection for defense lawyers. The U.S. has denied this. Al-Khalil told reporters "Lifting the security of the defense team was an introduction to assassinations." She added that for the first time she received a threat over the telephone on Monday: "A man cursed me and threatened me before hanging up."
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