Almotamar.net - The United Nations Secretary-General on Sunday appealed to the government of Iraq to suspend carrying out execution of Saddam Hussein's two aides Barzan al-Tikriti And Awad al-Bandar.

The UN SG had faced criticisms because of what was considered as hyper caution in the wake of executing Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi president and for not expressing the UN objection of the hanging punishment.
On the other hand the Middle East newspaper mentioned in its Sunday issue it has interviewed Saddam's brother Barzan and Awad al-Bandar, head of former Al-Thawra Court as they affirmed they were transferred to where Saddam was executed to hang them but they were returned to their prison later.

The newspaper said it had conducted the interview through sending questions to Barzan and al-Bandar via Issam Gharawi one of the defence team for Saddam. it said it was supposed to hang both of the aides on the same day with Saddam but the authorities postponed it to another date.

The paper quoted Barzan as saying " They took us at the same day of executing Saddam from our prison cells at 1:00 am, informing us to collect our possessions because our execution would be carried out at dawn and told us we have a few hours to prepare our wills.´ he added we waited for several hours and the hanging was expected at any time and then they were suddenly informed at 8:45 am that implementing the execution was postponed.

The newspaper also quoted the lawyer Gharawi as saying the effect was apparent on al-Bandar and Barzan unlike Saddam who was joking with his lawyer when he learnt about the time of carrying out the death sentence. He said "Barzan and Bandar cried when they talked about the execution of Saddam. ´The newspaper quoted Bandar as describing the moments when they were taken to the place of execution before the postponement saying," I was executed several times while we were waiting counting the minutes." They paper said the two aides were allowed to watch television to see then execution of Saddam and saw him when the noose was put around his neck and then the television was taken away from them.

It is yet not clear about the date of carrying out the execution of Barzan and Bandar. Earlier news mentioned they were supposed to be hanged today Sunday but the military advisor to the prime minister of Iraq said he did not expect it on Sunday and that he does n9ot know the exact date of their execution.

The Iraqi court of Cassation had earlier approved the judgment issued by the Criminal Court of the execution of Saddam, Barzan and al-Bandar but the Iraqi authorities carried out the execution of Saddam on the first day of Adha Eid and postponed the execution of Barzan and Bandar.