25 September 2004	Saturday	09 Shaban 1425

BAGHDAD, Sept 24: Deposed Iraq president Saddam Hussein is unlikely to go on trial before the end of the year, a US official said on Friday, dashing prospects of a trial in October as forecast by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

A US official involved in the proceedings said: "The likelihood of a trial in the near future is remote." He said the trial was unlikely to begin before next year. He said 21 investigative judges were working on different issues and more time was needed to prepare the prosecution of former officials charged with multiple crimes.

The official stressed that the deteriorating security situation was impeding the collection of evidence, for instance making exhumations in parts of the country, almost impossible. Mr Allawi had said in an interview on Sept 18 that the trial could start as early as in October.

HANDSHAKE CRITICIZED: Lebanese group Hezbollah on Friday described as "shameful" a handshake between Iraq's prime minister and the Israeli foreign minister at the United Nations in New York.

"The behaviour of the Iraqi interim prime minister is shameful and a flagrant sign of one of the main reasons behind the American-led war against Iraq, that is, get Iraq out of the Arab and Islamic worlds and put it under the influence of American-Zionist policy," the militia said.

Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom had a brief exchange at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, where their delegations had been placed next to each other. -AFP