Initially, it is likely to be buried in secret at an undisclosed location. One possibility is that it will be placed next to the corpse of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaeda terrorist killed by US troops this year. It is rumoured that he is buried in the green zone. Saddam’s family may eventually be given possession of his body. Saddam could then join his sons Uday and Qusay in the family cemetery near their former stronghold of Tikrit.

Will the execution be shown on television?

No. It will be videotaped as an historical record. A photo of the corpse will be released.

How did they choose the executioner?

Hundreds of Iraqis from around the world volunteered. Some e-mailed their requests to Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister. The man selected will have suffered, or his family will have suffered, at the hands of Saddam. For the execution he wears a hood with slits for his eyes.

How did they choose where to hang Saddam?

The choice has been between three possible locations: Camp Cropper, the high-security US prison inside Baghdad airport where Saddam has been held; the green zone; or the Khadamiyah women’s prison, where most state executions are carried out. The last two would involve a high-risk journey through Baghdad.

Who is present at a state execution?

A judge, a doctor and an inspector-general from the Justice Department. Saddam’s relatives will not be informed formally until the day after his death.

Do condemned Iraqis have final rights?

Condemned men in Iraq have the right to write a will and leave letters for relatives. Saddam handed those to his half-brothers when they visited him yesterday.

Those heading for the gallows are asked if they wish to confess anything or ask for forgiveness. The defiant farewell statement released by Saddam’s lawyers on Tuesday, in which he offered his soul as a sacrifice to God, was apparently his answer.

What about his final hours?

A special “waiting room” is set aside for condemned men to prepare for death. They can pray, drink water and smoke cigarettes. Guards bring a final meal, which the prisoner can orderto his choice. They are led to the gallows wearing an orange uniform, their head covered by a cone-shaped black hood.

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