By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Federal Judge Gilbert Merritt said he believes a special Iraqi tribunal will put Saddam Hussein on trial for his life by fall of 2004.

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"This will be a major public trial covered by reporters and journalists from all over the world, and probably televised," he said Sunday from Nashville, Tenn., where he lives.

Merritt, who served as chief judge of the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit Court of Appeals from 1989-1996, was one of a group of U.S. judges and other legal experts who traveled to Iraq in May.

Based on his discussion with Iraqi lawyers and judges about war-crime trials, Merritt said he thinks the trial will take place in Iraq before Iraqi judges and lawyers under their system of law.

"That's what they certainly wanted as a matter of national pride," he said. "Their system is pretty good and doesn't really conflict with Western trial standards."

He said the best of Iraq's judiciary would probably serve on the tribunal.

"There are quite a large number of very able judges to call on," Merritt said.

Though some judges served under the dictator, many Iraqi judges were independent of Saddam and went to jail for declaring some of his edicts unconstitutional, he said.

Merritt said the trial, if conducted by Iraqi judges and lawyers, would be a boost for the reconstruction of the court system. It would also be a boost to the confidence of the Iraqi people, he said.

Merritt said many Iraqis, many of whom were out of work, were fearful of the future. But despite their problems with the American handling of the post-war occupation, Merritt believes they are relieved by the capture of the former dictator.

"I think it's a major positive step," he said. "There has always been this fear that the Americans will pull out despite what we've said, and that Saddam would return to power and that anybody who cooperated with the Americans would be executed. This is a major relief to the Iraqis."

Still, he said he doesn't believe the capture means the danger will cease immediately for American troops in Iraq because suicide bombers, terrorists and members of Saddam's old regime will continue to fight the occupation. Some of those people will no longer have a stake in the future of the country, he said.

"I don't think it will end quickly, but it may be the beginning of the end," he said. "Maybe within a year or so it will be a calmer situation."

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E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com