Saddam tribunal judge murdered

A judge and lawyer working on the tribunal panel that will try former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, has been murdered in Baghdad.

Iraqi officials confirmed that Judge Barwez Mohammed Mahmoud al-Merwani was shot dead in the north of the city yesterday. His son, lawyer Aryan Barwez al-Merwani, who was also working for the tribunal, was also killed.

The identities of the judges and other staff employed by the tribunal had been kept secret, amid fears for their safety. The location of the court building has also not been revealed.

The judge and his son are the first members of the tribunal staff to be killed following death threats and the killing of five possible tribunal candidates in 2003.

However, there has been some speculation that Judge Merwani may have been killed because of personal reasons and not because of his involvement with the tribunal.

When the tribunal was being convened at the end of 2003, five potential candidates were killed, which led to some judges refusing calls to work at the court. It has been reported that at least half the budget allocated for the tribunal has been used for security.

The killings come just one day after the five former members of Saddam's regime, including his one of his half brothers, were referred for trial charged with crimes against humanity.

A car bomb exploded in Baghdad today, killing at least six people and injuring more than 30. The blast occurred at a former military base, which was now being used as a recruitment centre for the Iraqi army.

It has been reported that the attack was the work of a suicide bomber.

(KMcA/SP)