BAGHDAD, IRAQ -- From the U.S. military to Iraqi government officials and Shiite clerics, people in Iraq are bracing for the execution for deposed dictator Saddam Hussein, which will happen before 6 a.m. Baghdad Time Saturday.Hussein remains in the custody of the US military. When he is turned over to Iraqi authorities by the US military, he will know that his execution is at hand.
A senior Iraqi official says, "We have agreed with the Americans that the handover will take place only a few minutes before he is executed."
A member of Saddam's legal team says US authorities are maintaining physical custody of Saddam to prevent him from being humiliated before his execution.
He says the Americans will also try to prevent the mutiliation of his corpse - something that's happened to other deposed Iraqi leaders.
The lawyer says, "The Americans want him to be hanged respectfully."
