Saddam Hussein's lawyer blamed U.S.-led occupation forces Wednesday for the death of a second colleague in the trial and called on Arab leaders to "shoulder their responsibility" to combat disorder in Iraq. Khalil al-Dulaimi, head of Saddam's legal team, made these comments one day after Adel al-Zubeidi, lawyer for former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan was killed in a shooting attack in west Baghdad. Thamir al-Khuzaie, attorney for another co-defendant, Saddam's half brother Barazan Ibrahim, was injured.
Last month, another defense lawyer, Saadoun al-Janabi, was shot dead in the capital.
"The occupation forces are responsible for this criminal incident, and they bear the responsibility of preserving the lives of the people regardless of their identity," he stated. The "Iraqi government also has the responsibility to protect people and put an end to such actions."
Attacks go on
A suicide bomb which exploded on Wednesday near an Iraqi police patrol killed seven policemen and wounded nine others. The incident occurred north of the Iraqi capital in Baquba, a mixed Sunni and Shiite town.
Iraqi police officers have been frequently targeted by resistence fighters since the beginning of the US-led invasion into Iraq in 2003, and the town of Baquba, capital of the Diyala provice, has experienced increasing violence as Iraq's upcoming December 15 elections approach.
Last month, Baquba was the scene of another suicide bombing where shoppers were lured to a van filled with dates before a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device, killing 30 people, Reuters reported.
In Baghdad, a driver for the Sudanese Embassy was shot dead Wednesday as he left the Palestinian mission, police said, according to the AP. The incident took place in the Mansour area of western Baghdad. The driver was a Sudanese citizen, his embassy said.
The U.S. command announced that an American Marine had died of injuries sustained when a roadside bomb went off near his vehicle Monday in western Iraq.
US announces end to Husaybeh operation
Meanwhile, US security forces announced on Wednesday that their four-day military offensive in the town of Husaybeh near the Syrian-Iraqi border had been completed.
A US military spokesman said that the town was now "secure," and that all resistence in Husaybeh, a known transit point for fighters entering Iraq from Syria, had been "neutralized." He added, however, that there was the possibility of some fighters continuing their resistance in the area, reported the AP.
Approximately 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and 2,500 American soldiers have been fighting in Husaybeh since Saturday, causing many of its residents to flee to safety.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
