Around the world, unease and criticism of Hussein execution

With gradations of unease rather than outrage inspired by the hanging of Saddam Hussein, Western politicians sought a cautious balance between revulsion at his record, support for his executioners and concern at the use of a capital penalty they largely shun in their own countries. But religious leaders–Christian and Muslim–used stronger and more critical language in response to the news of Hussein's execution, which greeted most Western Europeans on their breakfast time news shows and in some newspaper headlines two days before the New Year. Perhaps the most delicately choreographed response came from Britain, whose prime minister, Tony Blair, took a lead as the closest ally of the United States in toppling Hussein, but whose Labor Party prides itself on opposing the death penalty. The UK government hailed the fact he had been "held to account" for his crimes, but was strident in its opposition to the death penalty. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, speaking on behalf of the government, said: "I welcome the fact that Saddam Hussein has been tried by an Iraqi court for at least some of the appalling crimes he committed against the Iraqi people. He has now been held to account. "The British government does not support the use of the death penalty in Iraq or anywhere else. We advocate an end to the death penalty worldwide, regardless of the individual or the crime." Other world powers protested the grave repercussions. Russia warned the execution will simply add to Iraq's woes. "The country is being plunged into violence," said Mikhail Kamynin, the foreign ministry spokesman. "The execution of Saddam Hussein may lead to the further aggravation of the military-political atmosphere and an increase in ethnic and religious tension." There was also condemnation from human rights groups and the Vatican. "An execution is always tragic news, even in the case of a person who is guilty of grave crimes," a spokesman for the Pope said. "Killing the guilty one is not the way to rebuild justice and reconcile society. On the contrary, there is the risk that the spirit of revenge is fueled." Erkki Tuomioja, the foreign minister of Finland, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said, "The European Union has a very consistent stand on opposing the death penalty and it should not have been applied in this case either–even though there is no doubt about Saddam Hussein's guilt over serious violations against human rights." Muslim leaders in Britain offered a similar prognosis. Muhammad Abdul Bari, the secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said in a statement, "No one can deny that Saddam should have faced justice for his crimes against the people of Iraq and also his invasion of Iran and Kuwait." "However," he added, "the fact that his trial took place while Iraq is still under occupation by foreign forces may mean that his execution, on the blessed day of Id al-Adha, will be regarded as an insensitive and provocative act by the US-backed Iraqi government and that far from contributing to a so-called healing process, it may serve to further intensify the sectarian divisions in Iraq." The Palestinian Hamas movement condemned the execution as a "political assassination" that "violates all international laws," according to a spokesman, Fawzi Barhum, speaking to Agence France-Presse in Gaza. "Saddam Hussein was a prisoner of war," Barhum said. He called the trial "unjust" and said the timing of the execution, a half-day before the start of the Muslim feast of Id al-Adha, was insulting. "The hanging took place on the day of the Id and this is a message to the Arab street–the Americans have launched threats to all the Arabs," he said. Even the West's leading Middle East allies, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, publicly spoke out against the choice of the first day of the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice to put Saddam to death. The ousted strongman was executed in Baghdad at dawn on Dec. 30 as Muslims began celebrating the Id al-Adha, in which a sheep is traditionally slaughtered in memory of Abraham, who according to the Koran was about to sacrifice his son Ismail on God's orders, but was sent a sheep instead. "Saddam was being dragged away like he was the sheep waiting to be slaughtered," said Emad Gad, researcher with the Cairo-based Ahram Center for Strategic Studies. "The main issue here is that the execution took place on the morning of the Id al-Adha," Gad said. "This will stir anger and humiliation in people, whether they supported him or not." He warned that "people's emotions are already anti-US, and these images will add to that feeling."