Iraq considers first post-Saddam execution

Published: Nov. 2, 2009 at 1:45 PM

BAGHDAD, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Iraqi officials say they are considering the country's first public execution since the fall of former President Saddam Hussein, who regularly staged them.

The case involves the murder of an 11-year-old Baghdad boy, Muntadher al-Mussewi, whose killers, the neighboring Aweni family, were convicted of kidnapping him, demanding ransom for his return, bludgeoning him to death and putting his body in an acid bath to destroy the evidence.

Iraqi government officials told Monday's Times of London they fear escalating violence if kidnapper Muhanned al-Aweni is not executed publicly.

The newspaper quoted police as saying they have already broken up an armed stand-off between the Mussewi and Aweni tribes, both of whom are reportedly connected to the top two Shia militia groups. Responding to pressure, the governor of Baghdad has declared his support for an execution, while an aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has reportedly discussed an execution with members of the boy's tribe.

The consideration of the execution is coming despite the encouragement of Western countries that Iraq not hold public executions, which Saddam used to terrorize opponents. The Times said that on one day in 1999, at least 100 prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison were executed.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints


Additional News Stories
COL FB: Iowa 12, Minnesota 0 (26 min)
COL FB: Ohio State 21, Michigan 10 (40 min)
Second false alarm delays spacewalk
Sisters seeking damages for dropped coffin
Meat on the menu for Connecticut thieves
Mothers among loyal 'Twilight' fans
UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News
fark
Pittsburgh plans to tax college students, wants them to pay fair share
Genetics anti-bias law takes effect today, forcing insurance companies, employers to use outward...
It's a boy: Zoo tortoise reveals mistaken identity after 50 years, so the zoo renamed the tortoise...
Like some Farkers' dream girls, this suspect had nice melons and 800 pounds of pot. Unfortunately,...
When schools remove chocolate milk from the cafeteria they are simultanously bombarded with student...
Funny, subby's cold-as-a-fish ex-wife is also named Wendy. I hope this doesn't get greenlit