Hundreds of Iraqis Apply to Be Saddam Hussein's Hangman

AMMAN, Jordan — Hundreds of Iraqis have offered to act as hangman in the execution of Saddam Hussein, according to senior officials in the Baghdad Government.

Some requests have been e-mailed to the office of Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, from around the world. Mr. al-Maliki has also been directly petitioned by government officials who want to place the noose around Saddam’s neck.

Many ordinary Justice Ministry employees are too terrified to carry out an execution, fearing reprisals from the dead man’s family. Those who do volunteer to act as the executioner may well have lost a relative to violence in the post-Saddam era or had a relative killed by Saddam’s regime.