Judge: Saddam to be executed by Saturday

Judge: Saddam to be executed by Saturday

13 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein has been transferred from U.S. custody, his lawyers said, and an Iraqi judge authorized to attend the former dictator's hanging said he would be executed no later than Saturday.

The physical hand-over of Saddam to Iraqi authorities was believed to be one of the last steps before he was to be hanged, although the lawyers' statement did not specifically say Saddam was in Iraqi hands.

"A few minutes ago we received correspondence from the Americans saying that President Saddam Hussein is no longer under the control of U.S. forces," according to the statement faxed to The Associated Press.

"Saddam will be executed today or tomorrow," said Munir Haddad, a judge on the appeals court that upheld Saddam's death sentence. "All the measures have been done."

Haddad is authorized to attend the execution on behalf of the judiciary.

"I am ready to attend and there is no reason for delays," Haddad said.

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Bill's Comment: There is one song, I know, that Saddam Hussein will not be playing- "The Hanging Tree" by Marty Robbins. Another candidate song could also be "Highwayman" by either Glen Campbell or The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and the late greats Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash).