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阅读理解
Despite the cold morning wind in Montreal last weekend, Ahmad Al-Bahely was busy handing out candies．He was overjoyed at hearing that Saddam Hussein had been sentenced to death．
“That’s how we celebrate in Iraq, ” said the 15-year-old high school student．Al-Bahely’s family was forced to leave Iraq in 1991 after the first Gulf War．They fled life under Saddam Hussein for a new beginning in Canada．“We are proud that this terrible man will get what he deserves．”
An Iraqi court has sentenced Saddam, 69, to death after a 13-month trial．He was found responsible for the killings of 148 people in a village, north of Baghdad in 1982．The murders were carried out in revenge for an attempt on Saddam’s life．
Thousands of Iraqis oppressed during Saddam’s 24-year rule took, to the streets to celebrate．Meanwhile, groups near Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit gathered to support the former president．“We’ll avenge you, Saddam, ” the crowd shouted．
But many simply remained calm．“Whether Saddam lives or dies is not important to me?, ” said Imad Mohammed, a computer engineer．“I’m not even sure whether my family and I will live or die．”
Iraqis were not the only ones to have different views on the court’s decision．The international community was also divided over the sentence．
US President George W．Bush called the trial a milestone in the Iraqi people’s efforts to replace a tyrant with the rule of law．But many European countries said Saddam should not be put to death．The Catholic Church called the sentence “eye for an eye” revenge．
“This is not the way to present the new Iraq to the world．It should be different from the way of Saddam, who was behind hundreds of thousands of deaths, ” said an Italian organization opposed to the death penalty．
Islamic leaders warned that hanging Saddam could lead to revenge by Saddam’s supporters, deepening the rift(不和)in the war-torn country．According to new research by a leading US university, over 650,000 Iraqis have been killed since the 2003 Iraq War began．
“They blame Saddam for killing people．But who will judge the leaders for the killings that happen every day now?” said 30-year-old Bahjat．He refused to give his full name out of fear．
“The sentence is just an important settlement with the past, but the big challenge for Iraq’s people is the future．Big compromises are required for lasting freedom and secured peace, ” said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt．
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