Letter in Hussein's name bids Iraqis farewell

BAGHDAD -- A farewell letter posted on the Internet yesterday in the name of Saddam Hussein declared the former president to be victimized by foreign armies but ready to die and "be with the merciful God."

The letter urged Iraqis not to hate the foreign peoples whose armies invaded the country, just their leaders.

Released a day after Iraq's highest court upheld his death sentence and opened the way for his execution within 30 days, the letter said: "I call you not to hate, because hate does not leave space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking."

Published on several Iraqi websites, including one operated by Hussein's former Ba'ath Party, the letter was written in ancient Arabic verse. Though Hussein took power a generation ago as a secular leader, in later years he mirrored the rise of religious fundamentalism in the Middle East, depicting himself as devoted to Islam. Much of the letter reflects that tone.

In interviews yesterday, two of Hussein's defense lawyers based in Amman, Jordan, said the letter was authentic and written by Hussein on Nov. 5. That was the day he was sentenced to death by hanging for the killings of 148 Shi'ite residents of the town of Dujail after an attempt on his life there in 1982.

"Yes, it is true," said Khalil al-Dulaimi, one of his lawyers.

The second lawyer, Saleh al-Armouti, said the letter was Hussein's way of expressing contempt for his sentence and for the Bush administration. "He's not an enemy of the American forces. He's an enemy of Bush," said Armouti. "There are a lot free people in the United States that are against the American occupation, and who should be respected for their opinions."

There was no independent way to verify whether the letter was written by Hussein.

Violence struck Baghdad again yesterday, with a car bomb killing eight civilians and wounding 10 near an Iraqi army checkpoint. Four more civilians died in a mortar attack in a Shi'ite neighborhood, and police found the bodies of 51 apparent victims of sectarian killings.

The US command reported three American military deaths, bringing the US death toll for December to 93 in one of the bloodiest months for US troops this year.

US and Iraqi troops killed a top deputy of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr during a raid in the southern holy city of Najaf yesterday, sparking protests from Sadr's followers and complicating an already tense relationship with the powerful, anti-American leader.

Hurling rocks and shouting expletives, thousands of angry Sadr loyalists marched through the streets of Najaf after Sahib al-Amiri was shot and killed by an American soldier during an early morning raid.

Amiri was identified by Sadr officials as an aide. US military officials declined to confirm that, saying only that he had provided explosives for use against Iraqi and American forces.

An official close to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Hussein's execution would take place before the end of the 30-day period specified by the court.

Hussein will remain in a US military prison near the airport, Camp Cropper, until the day of the execution, at which point he will be handed over to Iraqi authorities, the official said. He is expected to be executed in private before a selected group of witnesses.

In his letter, Hussein said he was expressing his sentiments because the Iraqi High Tribunal and its chief judge "did not give us a chance to say what we want to say." The court, the letter continued, "issued its verdict without any explanation and read us the sentence -- according to orders of the invaders -- without presenting the evidence."

Portions of the letter praised Americans who assisted Hussein in his trial, an unveiled reference to former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, who joined Hussein's defense team.

"You should know that among the aggressors, there are people who support your struggle against the invaders, and some of them volunteered for the legal defense of prisoners, including Saddam Hussein," the letter said.

Iraqi government officials have said that the nine-month trial was conducted properly.