Reply #14: U.S. Said Delaying Saddam Interrogations

[thecrow]

Jun 21, 11:52 AM (ET)

By MAGGIE MICHAEL

(AP) In this photograph released by the Iraqi Special Tribunal on June 13, 2005, former Iraqi dictator...
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BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Iraq's justice minister on Tuesday accused the United States of trying to delay Iraqi efforts to interrogate Saddam Hussein, saying "it seems there are lots of secrets they want to hide."

Justice Minister Abdel Hussein Shandal also told The Associated Press he was confident that Saddam's trial on war crimes charges would be over by the end of the year, underlining the Iraqi government's determination to try the ousted leader soon.

"This trial will be accomplished within 2005 - and this will only be in Iraqi courts," he said in an interview on the sidelines of an international conference on his country's future.

U.S. officials had no immediate comment on Shandal's remarks, but the Americans privately have urged caution about rushing into a trial, saying the Iraqis need to develop a good court and judicial system - one of the main topics of discussion at the conference in Brussels, Belgium.

MORE: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20050621/D8AS3FH80.html