Saddam's defence team meets Kadhafi's daughter
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-07-06 08:35

Members of Saddam Hussein's Jordan-based defence team were to hold talks in Libya after a daughter of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi joined the team, the group's head told AFP.

Mohammed Rashdan said he and fellow Jordanian lawyers Hatem Shahin and Ziad Khassawneh were to fly out later the same day to meet with Libyan members of Saddam's defence committee, including Aisha Kadhafi.

Members of Saddam Hussein's Jordan-based defence team were to hold talks in Libya after Aisha Kadhafi, pictured, a daughter of libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, joined the team. [AFP/File]

"We want to discuss with our committee there the latest developments, to exchange views and prepare reports," Rashdan said. "We also expect to meet Doctor Aisha because she is now a member of the committee."

On Saturday, Rashdan told AFP that Kadhafi's daughter, a lawyer, had joined the defence team, which initially comprised 20 members, including European and US lawyers appointed by Saddam's wife and three daughters.

Rashdan also said the defence team was waiting for a green light from the Iraqi Bar Association to allow them to travel to Iraq and meet Saddam ahead of appointing an Iraqi lawyer to defend him.

The Jordan-based legal counsel sent formal requests on Saturday to the bar association and a US colonel seeking authorisation to travel to Iraq.

The same day, Rashdan received a phone call from the head of the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST), charged with putting Saddam on trial, who insisted that according to Iraqi law, the ousted president's in-court defence must be Iraqi.

"He said he will be sending us a copy of this law. We are still waiting," said Rashdan. "We want to meet with our client before we take any decision" to appoint an Iraqi lawyer.

On Sunday he said that after his talks with the IST chief Salem Chalabi that the Jordanian defence team had started making contacts to find a suitable Iraqi lawyer for Saddam.

Rashdan also told AFP he plans to visit France soon to meet with French legal experts, after Paris said it recognised the legitimacy of the IST which was set up by decree by former US administrator Paul Bremer.

"We would love to know how France, a bastion of the rule of law, has come to that conclusion and on what basis it has conferred legitimacy on the court," Rashdan said.

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