During the customary end of year press conference a...

During the customary end of year press conference a journalist asked Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi if he was in agreement with US President George Bush, who hinted that Saddam should be put to death. His reply was: "I believe it is hard to assume what the penalty should be, even knowing the atrocious crimes reported by the Iraqi population following an over thirty year dictatorship like that of Saddam Hussein."
He however added that, "I am totally in favour of and partisan to the idea of an Iraqi court trying Saddam Hussein under Iraqi law". It is known that were he to be tried in Iraq, Saddam would risk the death penalty, whist for crimes of war or crimes against humanity international law does not provide for the death penalty.