March 27 (Bloomberg) — A French lawyer who made his name defending some of the world’s most notorious figures will defend Saddam Hussein, the former leader of Iraq, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported on its Web site.
Jacques Verges, 79, said he will mount a defense case for the former Iraqi leader and for former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, the BBC said on its Web site. It isn’t clear what charges Hussein will answer or what form his trial will take, the BBC said.
According to Verges, the request to defend Hussein came in a letter from the former dictator’s nephew, Ali Barzan al-Takriti, the BBC reported. Verges will be supported by about 12 other French lawyers, the BBC said.