Several boys die copying Saddam hanging

By ANNA JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer

CAIRO, Egypt - The boys' deaths — scattered in the United States, in Yemen, in Turkey and elsewhere in seemingly isolated horror — had one thing in common: They hanged themselves after watching televised images of Saddam Hussein's execution.

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The experts say such graphic images can severely affect youngsters who do not yet understand the consequences of death and violence — especially because Saddam's death received intense international attention.

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A day after Saddam's execution, a 10-year-old boy in Texas hanged himself from a bunk bed after watching a news report on the execution. Police in the Houston suburb of Webster said the boy, Sergio Pelico, tied a slipknot around his neck while on the bed but had not mean to kill himself.

"I don't think he thought it was real," Julio Gustavo, Sergio's uncle, said afterward. "They showed them putting the noose around his neck and everything. Why show that on TV?"

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I am too outraged to comment on this ... I had already warned in this post. This is just too sad.

Saddam execution video leads to arrests

By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi authorities reported the arrests Wednesday of two guards and an official who supervised Saddam Hussein's hanging and said the guard force was infiltrated by outsiders who taunted the former leader and shot the video showing his body dangling at the end of a rope.

The unauthorized video, which ignited protests by Saddam's fellow Sunni Arabs in various Iraqi cities, threatens to turn the ousted dictator into a martyr. Saddam was shown never bowing his head as he faced death, and asking the hecklers if they were acting in a manly way.

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Apparently the Iraqi authoraties delt with this in a good way, they could at least save face by showing some objectivity and justice in the manner. As much as the man was a heart-colded criminal, he is still a human being and has rights. The room should not have been infiltrated by people who had no business being there during the execution.

Saddam execution video draws criticism

By ANITA CHANG, Associated Press Writer

Grainy cell phone video of Saddam Hussein's execution triggered international criticism Tuesday, with Britain's deputy prime minister calling the leaked images "unacceptable" and the Vatican decrying the footage as a "spectacle" violating human rights.

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The unofficial video showed a scene that stopped just short of pandemonium, during which one person is heard shouting "To hell!" at the deposed president and Saddam is heard exchanging insults with his executioners. The inflammatory footage also showed Saddam plummeting through the gallows trapdoor and dangling in death.

The grainy video appeared on the Internet and Al-Jazeera television late Saturday. On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered an investigation into the execution to try to uncover who taunted the former dictator, and who leaked the cell phone footage.

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I was surprised to see LBC also showing the whole movie (AL Jazeera already did so) of Saddam's execution that was captured on a cellphone. I had previously seen it on the internet (willingly), but still it was kind of shocking to show a man dying on TV, I remember the persons beside me were startled, and not ready to see such thing. I think there is no more respect to anything in the media anymore, even if he is a bad person and an enemy, they still lose respect when they (and we) don't mind seeing and showing such footage on TV. What if a child was watching it? It was only 8:30pm! I don't recall them even giving a warning.

This is no longer good journalism, this is plain greed for money.

Saddam Hussein capitally punished

December 30, 2006 is a milestone in history. A lot of things may change, and not to the better. Saddam Hussein after being sentenced to death on November 5th, 2006, has been executed dawn of today. Way of execution: Hanged. There has even been photos and videos of how it happened, although they only broadcasted part of it, and not the actual moment when the hole under Saddam has opened.

Nevertheless it is not clear how killing this man who happens to be a war criminal, will erase all his crimes and make Iraq in better shape. Even though the decision of Saddam's execution was taken 55 days ago, a date wasn't set, and out of the blue, on Friday 29 December 2006, a date (the next day) was set.

Saddam, is not an innocent man, however it appears that he has paid a bigger price while others are still out there.

Capital punishment is something I don't approve. And to happen on the first day of Adha Holiday, does send out a certain message. But what is it?

Iran, Israel, United Kingdom and of course the United States are all on the same side concerning this matter. Interesting group, isn't it? While Syria, Russia, Lybia and other countries disapprove this execution.

Iraqi people are divided, some celebrated today, and some demonstrated against it.

What will happen next in response to this legal murder?