New York, NY, January 3, 2007 … In the days following the hanging of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, columnists and cartoonists in the Arab and Muslim press have promulgated conspiracy theories suggesting that "Zionists" played a behind-the-scenes role in meting out his death sentence and participated in the actual execution.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today published a report on its Web site featuring visuals of political cartoons and excerpts from opinion columns appearing in mainstream newspapers in various Muslim and Arab countries – including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Algeria and elsewhere – suggesting the execution was a cooperative effort between the United States and Israel -- drawing upon anti-Semitic notions of a Jewish conspiracy in Washington, according to ADL monitoring.

Cartoons and articles in the Arab press have claimed that "Zionists" aided in Saddam's demise in an effort to promote what several described as Israel's "colonial aspirations."

Criticizing Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and its so-called "colonial" character, various columnists asserted that Saddam's execution would give Israel an opening to push farther East in its "conquest" of the Middle East.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.