Death to Saddam judicial assassination: CPI-M

Strongly opposing the confirmation of death sentence to Saddam Hussein by an Iraqi appellate tribunal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday said the execution of the order would amount to "judicial assassination" and sought UN intervention to stop it.

The party also asked the Indian government to "take all political and diplomatic steps" to stop the execution. In a statement, the CPI(M) Politburo said, "The US and the British government should realise that they will be responsible for the serious consequences which will result from this extra-legal step."

It said the United Nations "...which was bypassed in the aggression and occupation of Iraq, must intervene immediately to stop the execution" adding that no fair trial was possible for Hussein and his colleagues "under a regime of US occupation."

"The execution of the death sentence will be a form of judicial assassination," the CPI(M) said, urging all sections of the people to protest the death sentence.