Bush says Hussein should face ‘ultimate penalty’ for his actions

WASHINGTON — President Bush on Tuesday cast aside any doubt about whether he favored execution for imprisoned former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, saying he should face the "ultimate penalty."

"He is a torturer, a murderer, and they had rape rooms, and this is a disgusting tyrant who deserves justice, the ultimate justice," Bush said in an interview with ABC News. White House officials confirmed Bush was referring to capital punishment for Hussein, who was captured Saturday by U.S. forces.

"Let’s just see what penalty he gets, but I think he ought to receive the ultimate penalty … for what he has done to his people," Bush said.

Bush has long been a proponent of capital punishment. During his six years as governor of Texas, 152 convicts were put to death.

The United Nations and many countries worldwide — especially in Europe — oppose putting Hussein on trial before any court that could sentence him to death.

One of Hussein’s daughters said Tuesday that she and her sister want him to be tried by an international court instead of a special tribunal set up by the U.S.-installed Iraqi Governing Council.

Raghad Saddam Hussein said her father appeared sedated in footage released Sunday by the U.S.-led occupation authority after his capture near his hometown of Tikrit.

"He would be a lion even when caged," she said in an interview with the Al-Arabiya television station.

Raghad and her sister Rana are living in Amman, Jordan, where they were given asylum in July.

She said the family would appoint an attorney to try to contact Hussein, whose whereabouts have not been released. U.S. authorities say they are interrogating him at a secure location.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced at a Washington news conference Tuesday that the CIA will oversee Hussein’s interrogation.

Rumsfeld said George Tenet, director of the CIA, will decide who will interrogate Hussein and what information they will seek because the CIA has more expertise in that area.

Rumsfeld would not say whether Hussein had disclosed information of value.

"Characterizing his general relationship with his captors, probably the best word would be resigned," Rumsfeld said.

Rumsfeld said an interagency government group will look at whether Hussein will be given official POW status.