Saddam Verdict Could Spark More Violence

Iraqi demonstrators hold pictures of Saddam Hussein during a pro Saddam rally in al-Dour city, Iraq, Dec. 5, 2005. The trial of Saddam Hussein was intended to heal a fractured Iraq: exposing the crimes of his regime in a court of law, so Iraqis could come to terms with their past and move forward _ united as a people. A verdict is expected Sunday Oct. 29, 2006. (AP Photo / Hameed Rasheed) (Hameed Rasheed - AP)

AMMAN, Jordan -- The trial of Saddam Hussein was intended to heal a fractured Iraq: exposing the crimes of his regime in a court of law, so Iraqis could come to terms with their past and move forward _ united as a people.

Instead, the nine-month trial, roiled by a civil war and Saddam's own political outbursts, has brought little healing for Iraqis who remain deeply divided over his legacy.

The verdict, expected Sunday, could just make those tensions worse.

Indeed, many of Saddam's fellow Sunni Arabs _ but some Shiites and Kurds too _ are predicting a firestorm if the Iraqi High Tribunal, as widely expected, convicts and then sentences the ex-president to death.

"Violence and killings will increase and Saddam will turn into a national hero among Sunnis," said Ibrahim Khalid, 52, a Sunni from Baghdad's Azamiyah district, where many people still support the ousted 69-year-old president.

Many Shiites, on the other hand, will be enraged if he escapes the gallows. Last month, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, said he expects "this criminal tyrant will be executed" and that his followers who are "gambling on returning to power" will lose heart and abandon the insurgency.

"Hanging is too good for him," said Saad Mindil al-Garaawi, 39, a Shiite lawyer in Diwaniyah whose father and brother were executed for opposition to Saddam in 1988. "We demand they hang him as soon as possible."

In a broader sense, the fear and frustration over Sunday's verdict is a microcosm of what many Iraqis feel about their country's worsening cycle of violence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Saddam and seven co-defendants _ including a half brother _ have been on trial since Oct. 19, 2005, for their alleged roles in the deaths of about 150 Shiites in the town of Dujail after an assassination attempt against the president in 1982.

A second trial against Saddam _ for alleged genocide against the Kurds _ began in August and more are expected to follow. It is unclear whether those cases would move forward if Saddam is condemned to hang.

Five judges will render the verdict based on a simple majority decision. There is no jury. If convicted, Saddam's case would be reviewed by a nine-judge panel.

The review has no time limit but a death sentence, if upheld, must be carried out within 30 days.