BAGHDAD, Iraq — American and Iraqi officials said Friday that the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is imminent and could occur as early as Saturday morning in Iraq. An Iraqi judge says Saddam Hussein will be executed by Saturday at the latest.
But U.S. and Iraqi officials stressed that the date of the execution is still in flux and could change at moment's notice because security is a major concern. Iraqi officials have said that they are considering hanging Saddam in secret and delaying an official announcement of his death to prevent retaliatory attacks.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Friday that no one can overturn Saddam's death sentence and that there would be "no delay" in hanging Saddam. He added that "our respect for human rights" obliges his government to go ahead with the execution, according to a statement issued by his office.
In another sign that the execution may be nearing, one of Saddam's defense lawyers said Friday that U.S. military officials called members of the former president's legal team and told them to pick up his personal items.
"The Americans called the defense team to pick up his personal belongings," Najib Naimi, a former Qatar justice minister, told the al-Jazeera television network Friday. "All these indications show he will probably be executed tomorrow."
Another Saddam lawyer, Najeeb Hamad Al-Noaimi, also said he believed the execution would take place Saturday. He said he had requested a meeting with Saddam, and planned to bring along Saddam's daughter, Raghad, who now lives in Amman, Jordan. But so far, he said the request had not been granted.
On Thursday, Saddam met his two maternal half brothers and handed them his will and some personal belongings, including messages for his family, Iraqi officials said.
U.S. and Iraqi government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that as of Friday evening in Iraq, Saddam was still in U.S. custody at Camp Cropper, near Baghdad's airport.
The Associated Press contributed to this report