Sweden has no intention to host a trial of ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein or let him serve a possible sentence in a Swedish prison, the government said in a letter to one of Saddam's lawyers. The letter, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, was sent to lawyer Giovanni di Stefano, who had contacted the government in Sweden about the possibility of holding the trial there. "Sweden has no intention of filing a request to the competent authorities in Iraq for a transfer of Saddam Hussein to Sweden before his trial," Justice Ministry official Ann Marie Bolin Pennegard wrote in the letter dated July 21. "Nor has Sweden considered the issue of establishing a seat of the Iraqi Special Tribunal in Sweden," she said. Bolin Pennegard also noted that it was currently not possible to have Saddam serve any sentence in Sweden, because the Scandinavian country does not have an agreement with Iraq on the transfer of prisoners. Di Stefano, one of many lawyers representing Saddam, said Monday he had asked Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and other officials to move the trial to Sweden because it would be too dangerous to hold it in Iraq. "If they want to retain an element of credibility, it is the only solution. Not only will you get a fair trial but you will get safe trial," di Stefano said, speaking by telephone from Monte Carlo, Monaco. Iraqi authorities have repeatedly dismissed suggestions they would agree to transfer the trial outside the country.
