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Of all the arms of Communist power in Iraq, none is more effective than the People's Court, which the Reds have virtually converted into an independent arm of government through which they focus pressure on Kassem. Presided over by Kassem's cousin, Colonel Fadhil Abbas Mahdawi, a willing tool of the Communists, the court stages televised nightly trials of "enemies of the regime," i.e., enemies of the Communist Party. Mahdawi is a suety, quick-witted ruffian—"Egypt has always had bad rulers. Cleopatra was a whore"—who holds court to extract confessions rather than dispense justice. Making up his own rules, treating the accused as already convicted, interrupting to make long and wildly irrelevant speeches, Mahdawi, with his four fellow judges, has already sentenced to death dozens of victims, including two former Premiers of Iraq.
One night three weeks ago Mahdawi's show—which is conducted in Iraq's former Hall of Parliament, with spectators occupying the former Deputies' benches and Mahdawi and his fellow judges lolling on the speaker's rostrum—put four airmen in the dock for taking part in the Mosul revolt. It was a gala evening, witnessed by TIME Correspondent William McHale. Two hours beforehand every seat was filled; hundreds of ticketholders were turned away. The highlights of the performance:
Prosecutor: Colonel Aref went to Damascus and plotted with Nasser to invite Kassem there so that Kassem might be assassinated when he landed at the airport. (Horrified gasps from the audience.) But our leader knew of this plot and rejected the invitation, and will reject it forever. (Stormy applause.)
Judge Mahdawi (interrupting): Yes, he will reject it, but when the Syrian people are emancipated [from the U.A.R.], we shall all be there.
Audience (in a rising screech): Kassem is a true leader! Long live, long live, long live!
The prosecutor, getting to the point, tells how a fifth airman was killed in the action in which the accused took part.
Mahdawi: May he rot in hell. (Loud laughter.)
Prosecutor (concluding): The prosecution, in the name of liberty, requests that the heads of these four be cut off because of their cooperation with Abdel Nasser, agent of American imperialism and enemy of the democratic republic.
Mahdawi: Nasser is a villain, despot, a vile President, a Pharaoh Ramses who could not break the will of the struggling Syrians. His newspapers are all servants of Dulles.
From the balcony comes the screech of a man's voice proclaiming a poem. Its refrain: "Hail to thee, Kassem, our jewel, defender of democracy, destroyer of our enemies!"
Mahdawi (to first accused): How do you plead?
Prisoner: Not guilty. (Laughter.)
Verdict of the court, after three more such pleas: death by firing squad. The executions were carried out one morning last week, watched by relatives who jeered and spat at the victims.