Iraqi Security Forces on High Alert as Saddam Hussein Execution Nears
by John Little on 29/12/2006I don’t expect this event to have a negative impact worthy of all the hand-wringing. Saddam’s fate was sealed the day we found him in his spider hole – if not before. And while I’d like to think that his death will help Iraq move forward it seems that there are too many other forces working overtime to push the country into chaos.
The head of Iraq’s interior ministry command centre, Brigadier General Abdel Karim Khalaf, said the beleaguered security forces were on high alert ahead of a hanging expected to exacerbate sky-high sectarian tensions.
“Certainly, this is a big event, putting into effect the execution of this serial killer,” he said. “We will take measures proportionate to this event. We will put all our forces on the streets so that no lives are jeopardised.”
On November 5, when Saddam was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death, protests erupted in some parts of Iraq and authorities declared a three day curfew to prevent attacks by Sunni insurgents.
Khalaf said that such a measure could only be decreed by the prime minister, but that Iraqi forces stood ready to act once informed of the date of the execution, which has yet to be announced.
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