Last moment of Saddam Hussein
By BABANDI GUMEL
The footage of Saddam Hussein being taken to gallows shown all over the world shocked many people watching TV around the globe. Defiant to the last Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader condemned to death early in November and hanged on Saturday December 30, 2006 while Muslims were celebrating the Eid-el-Kabir refused the customary offer of a hood placed over the head of prisoners at their last moment before execution.
The late Iraqi leader who wore the same coat he was wearing at the end of his trial was led to the gallows by six executioners who masked their faces to prevent reprisals from Saddam followers. Dressed in white shirt black jumper and slippers, the defiant former Iraqi leader was heard taunted by the guards as he was being taken to gallows.
Moments before the execution, the guards put a black cloth round his neck to prevent the blood spilling as shown. The former Iraqi leader remained calm and was at ease and was even staring at the guards as they raised the 30ft long noose over his head, which was tightened showing the enormity of what to come before the guards took a step backward.
One interesting thing worth mentioning as Muslim before he was taken to the gallows, late Saddam Hussein took his last sip of water while holding the Qur’an in his hand, which he made and will be handed to Awad Bander, his former Chief Justice, who was standing trial condemned to death along with Saddam awaiting execution anytime this month.
Saddam Hussein who was handed to the Iraqi authorities by the American military at 5.30 in the morning, carrying his Qur’an and handcuffed by guards who removed his hat was taken to the building housing the gallows surrounded by Iraqi officials -a doctor, a Sunni Muslim Imam as well as a judge who read the charges of his crimes.
While being carried to the gallows, the defiant Saddam was chanting his usual ranting down with the Americans and saying Allahu Akbar. The guards who were apparently taunting him during his last moment may be they were doing so to confuse him while hearing him reciting the Kalima Shahada.
His last words as captured on mobile phone video despite effort to confuse him was Asshahadu An- Lailaha illallah Wa Ashhadu AnnaMuhammadar Rasulullah reaffirming his faith and the last word expected to be recited by every believer at the time of death seen as a sign of success. One of the guards apparently reminded him of Muqtada Sadar, the Shia Cleric whose father was executed by Saddam and the footage was repeatedly relayed on Iraqi TV and other television stations all over the world to neutralise the impact of his death.
However, the impact of Saddam on the lives of Iraqis was so enormous, which still lingers and even now brings to memory the almost 30 years of his life when he dominated the country. The timing of the execution during the Eid festival, when all Muslims were celebrating the Eid-el-Adha, the festival of sacrifice seen by many people as politically-motivated, was rather unfortunate and had less impact than what his executioners hoped for.
While Saddam was being executed on the same day it was reported that the son of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Maliki was getting married with lavish celebration inside the protected green zone in Baghdad. According to reports and television footage shown Saddam Hussein made no attempt to resist his execution as he walked calmly towards the gallows with his hands tied behind his back in total silence and the picture was broadcast world wide.
The disturbing images now available on the internet caused bewilderment in the Arab and Muslim world. The images were understood to have been released on the order of the Iraqi national security adviser, Mouwaffak Al-Rubai, who was present at the Saddam’s execution.
It was first shown by the Iraqi TV, which like all other stations did not show the exact moment of death that was later released on mobile footages. After the doctor’s certification of the former Iraqi leader’s death, his body was transported to the offices of the Prime Minister and within 24 hours transported in a military helicopter to his home town of Takrit for burial near the grave of his two sons -Uday and Qusay killed by the Americans in 2003 after the invasion of Iraq.
The daughters of Saddam Hussein, Raghad and Rana fled Iraq in July, the same year to Jordan after the killing of their brothers before the capture of their father. The two sisters, whose mother, Sajida, the wife of Saddam with three other wives, went in exile said to be the guests of the Jordanian Royal family. The final footage of Saddam’s image captured on video captioned death on Camera as reported by one British newspaper the Daily Mail gave dramatic eyewitness reports and in depth analysis of the account of the hanging of the former leader described as disturbing and brutal questioning rhetorically “Was this a good day for civilisation?”.
Well, whatever point of views one may have, the interesting thing captured was the final words of the former Iraqi leader-the Kalimatush Shahada, which every Muslim is longing to recite at the end of his or her life. While many people saw Saddam as a dictator, who ruled with iron fist, others saw him as a hero even as a martyr who was extraordinarily defiant even at the time of death refusing to wear the usual black hood worn by prisoners before execution giving the graphic picture of final inevitable end which one meets.
Unfortunately, the latest video has rather generated more controversy and hatred to the invaders than love drawing more sympathy to the former Iraq leader than condemnation for his crime against humanity charges, which brought his execution on, December 30, 2006. This came two days before the new year coinciding with the Eid-el-Kabir festival.

Wa Akhiri Daawana Anil Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen.