Red Cross on the defensive:

“Any prisoner of war suspected of having committed any type of crime can be charged and tried,” said Antonella Notari, chief spokeswoman of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Notari said she wanted to make clear the neutral ICRC has no desire to see the release of any POWs, including Saddam, who are suspected of criminal acts.

“Nobody in the ICRC is calling for the release of Saddam Hussein. Absolutely not,” Notari told The Associated Press from the Geneva headquarters of the humanitarian agency, which serves as a watchdog to ensure adherence to the Geneva Conventions on the conduct of warfare.

Earlier Monday the Baghdad-based ICRC spokeswoman, Nada Doumani, told Associated Press Television News that under international and military law, Saddam and other prisoners of war and civilian prisoners should be released at the end of the conflict and occupation unless there were charges against them.

not to get that confused with not wanting him to be released today. we want to make that clear in light of the fact that every donor in the US has threatened our funding. our apologies for the error. please continue sending cheques.