Hanging of Saddam Hussein’s aides in Iraq may prompt more violence

According to analysts the pending executions of 69 year-old Saddams Hussein’s two aides may stir up more violence and may intensify the Shi’ite-Sunni conflict.

According to analysts the pending executions of 69 year-old Saddams Hussein’s two aides may stir up more violence and may intensify the Shi’ite-Sunni conflict.

Iraq has not set an execution date for the two Saddam Hussein’s aides, an official said yesterday, as the government faced anger from Sunnis over Saddam’s unruly hanging which ended with a cellphone taping of the 2 minute execution which leaked online. Iraqi officials acknowledged the hangings were imminent, but said the execution time would not be publicised. The two co-defendants, Saddam’s half-brother, former intelligence boss Barzan al-Tikriti and former judge Awad al-Bander were originally scheduled to hang last Saturday along with Saddam, but was postponed until after the Eid al-Adha holiday which ended on Wednesday.

If it continues analysts state that US troops may have to stay longer than expected as it will continue to get worse in Iraq.

Iraqi officials have stated they were taking new precautions to ensure camera phones were not carried into the execution chamber and that only authorised witnesses attended when the hangings of the two aides take place and that the aides will be executed jointly.

Since the hanging of Saddam Hussein, violence has flared in a Sunni stronghold of Baghdad according to reports. At least 13 people were killed when two car bombs exploded almost simultaneously near a petrol station in the western suburb of Mansour. The explosion was said to have set the petrol station on fire and burned several cars in the vicinity.