Blair says manner of Saddam hanging wrong

Published on Wednesday 10 January 2007 01:17

THE manner of Saddam Hussein's execution was "completely wrong", Tony Blair said last night but it should not "blind us to the crimes he committed against his own people".

Mr Blair, who has faced criticism for his public silence on the execution, spoke out for the first time at a Downing Street press conference. "The crimes that Saddam committed do not excuse the manner of his execution, but the manner of his execution does not excuse the crimes," he said.

The former Iraqi dictator was put to death on 30 December after being convicted of crimes against humanity. The sentence was already the subject of controversy, but tensions were heightened after leaked footage showed him being taunted by guards on the gallows.

Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, and John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, had spoken out against the "deplorable" manner of the execution. Mr Blair, however, had resisted opportunities to make clear his view, his only comment being support, expressed via a spokesman, for an Iraqi government inquiry.

Yesterday, as he faced questions in the wake of the talks, he told reporters: "As has been very obvious from the comments of other ministers and indeed from my own official spokesman, the manner of the execution of Saddam was completely wrong.

"But that should not blind us to the crimes he committed against his own people, including the death of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis, one million causalities in the Iran/Iraq war and the use of chemical weapons against his own people, wiping out entire villages."