Saddam signaling?
Saddam’s irascible outbursts, snips and jabs at the chief judge during his courtroom appearances might be more than just grandstanding.
Some U.S. officials worry he could be telegraphing, secretly sending messages to his supporters. Antennae were raised when Saddam immediately began his last appearance by identifying the location of the courthouse, what floor he was on and how foreign guards move him around the building.
Could he be calling in attacks, or a mortar strike?
On Sunday Iraqi officials said they uncovered a plot to mortar the courthouse on Monday.
Saddam also told his main defense lawyer, according to print media pool reports, that he has to "walk through four gates" when he takes his morning exercise in an area he described as "about nine meters long." Why such detail?
Saddam also had a cryptic exchange with his lawyer, according to the report quoted by the New York Times, when they talked about "removing" members of the defense team and removing members of "the other team."
Were they talking about assassinations? Sunday there was a bomb blast in the "judges district" of Baghdad where many of Iraq’s judges live. No judges were killed but a top police official told us, "it’s a message to the judges, a threat."
Eyes will be on Saddam on Monday to see what he says, and what he may be signaling.
Gathering Information
EMAIL THIS
advertisement
Slide Show
- Life beyond the violence
Suicide attacks and murders due to sectarian conflict continue around Iraq. See how residents live their lives amid the attacks.
Read the Nightly News blog
