White House Hails a 'good Day for Iraqis'

The Bush administration, less than 48 hours before the Congressional mid-term elections begin, hailed the Saddam verdict as "a good day for the Iraqi people".

Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, claimed the verdict as "absolute proof of an independent judiciary in Iraq".

The Republican party is hoping for electoral benefit from yesterday's court decision. Mr Snow rejected suggestions the White House delayed the verdict for the run-up to the elections.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said: "Today's decision is a hopeful reminder to all Iraqis that the rule of law can triumph over the rule of fear and that the peaceful pursuit of justice is preferable to the pursuit of vengeance."

The verdict was welcomed by Britain and other European countries, though many expressed opposition to the death penalty. But some Muslim organisations as well as political analysts in the Middle East warned that the verdict would lead to increased violence in Iraq.

Human rights groups, such as Amnesty challenged Mr Snow's assertion that the judiciary had operated openly and fairly. And Russian politicians expressed scepticism about the timing of the verdict. A Russian foreign ministry spokesman, Mikhail Kamynin, cautioned against external interference in the trial: "We believe the trial of a citizen of any country, whatever post he held, is an internal matter of that state and must be conducted and concluded without prompting from outside."

The EU, in a statement issued by Finland, which holds the presidency, said: "ensuring accountability for the crimes committed during the past regime will assist in furthering national reconciliation and dialogue in Iraq in the future."

Iran, which suffered a high death toll in its 1980-88 war with Iraq, welcomed both the verdict and death sentence.