STOCKHOLM, Sept 21: Iraq's former leader Saddam Hussein hopes for clemency and wants to live in exile in Sweden, Austria or Switzerland, reports said on Tuesday.

"In our view he should be released and should be able to live in exile in Sweden, for instance," said Giovanni Di Stefano, a member of the ex-leader's defence team, according to the Stockholm tabloid Aftonbladet.

Di Stefano, one of several lawyers representing Saddam, met on Monday officials of the interim government in Baghdad to discuss the clemency appeal, Aftonbladet reported.

"One can ask for clemency regardless of one is guilty or not guilty to the charges. In Saddam Hussein's case the charges are pure trash," Di Stefano was quoted as saying.

The British-based Di Stefano had previously said a trial against the former Iraqi leader was doubtful since Saddam Hussein had immunity as head of state. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi told US television ABC on Sunday that a trial against Saddam Hussein could begin next month.

Saddam Hussein was arraigned by a special tribunal in early July on seven preliminary charges which cover the ethnic cleansing campaign against the Iraq's northern Kurdish population, the invasion of Kuwait as well as the prosecution of the Shia population and the killing of political opponents.

In the new interview, Di Stefano questioned if Saddam Hussein could be linked to the 1998 nerve gas attacks against Kurds in Halabja. -dpa