The Making of Lion of the Desert Page #6

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If I hang you, I run the risk of

beating an open grave.

But, on the other hand,

you are an prime example.

You can only do to me

what God decides for me.

Those chains are uncomfortable?

There are uncomfortable effects.

Sit down.

Thank You.

Do you know...

I had always hoped that you and

I... implacable enemies, might...

...sit down on the day of your

capture and discuss like Cesar...

General...

Omar Mukthar cannot

give you the conquest of Cesar.

I wanted you for so long.

I mean knowing each

other as we do... an idea...

Can't we work

together for peace?

And today is the day

I work for you?

Why don't you ask me

for your life?

I might give it to you,

like that.

Do I give you...

my coloboration?

No.

No!

You are too late for bargains,

Mukhtar!

You are far too late!

I have not asked you for my life.

Do not tell the world...

in the privacy of this room

I asked you for my life.

No, I will not do that.

I will not lie about you.

You are a man of courage.

Let us hope that you can keep

that courage tomorrow.

Rope of your justice is always

hanging in front of me, General.

Have him a photograph.

I wish my enemies to be recorded.

Instruct the President

of the Court that he

must be hanged in

front of his people.

They must be there.

Omar Mukhtar, you are accused...

...of open rebellion against the

lawful Government of your country.

What age are you?

Are you the head of the forces

in Libya fighting against Italy?

Yes, I am.

Have you taken part in

attacks on Italian Soldiers?

Yes, I have.

For how long have you taken

part in attacks on Italian Soldiers?

20 years.

How many attacks?

You know,... I couldn't

remember the number.

You ordered the torturing and

murdering of Italian Prisoners.

I did not.

Never.

You were captured with

arms in your hands!

Yes, I was.

The enemy of Italian soldiers.

In the field,

I would be his enemy.

But here...

I am obliged to.

I am appointed to defend him.

You are an old man.

Older than all of us here.

And I will not abuse you

with too many questions.

Did you ever submit

to the Italian authority?

I did not.

Did you ever receive money or other

subsidy from the Italian government...

...as a condition of good behaviour?

I did not.

Never.

I declare...

that Omar Mukhtar

never submitted to us,...

...never took subsidy from us,...

...never recognized our right

to rule in this colony.

He cannot therefore,...

...illogic or justice,

be tried by us as a rebel.

When we captured Omar Mukhtar

after 20 years of battles...

...we are morally obliged to deal with

him as a prisoner of war.

Silence!

Silence in court!

Captain Lontano, you

were ordered to

defend this rebel against

the charge of treason.

You have over-stepped your orders.

The sentence on you, Omar Mukhtar,...

...is death by hanging, in public...

...in the town of Sadook

at 11 o'clock tomorrow,...

...16th of September, 1931,...

...year 9 of the fascist era.

From God we come and

under God we shall return.

In the name of the Government of

the Italian Selanaica,

we execute this sentence as decreed

by the military tribunal of Benghazi

of the 15th day of September 1931,

year 9 of the fascist era.

Omar Mukhtar, you

have been found

guilty of high treason,

both morally and materially,

of a sustained

rebellion against

the Italian Government

of this Colony.

The sentence passed

by the Court, death by

hanging in a public place,

will now be carried out.

Thank you, god, for letting me

tie the hands of our enemies.

Untie him.

We will never surrender.

We win or we die.

We will have the next

generation to fight,...

...and after the next,

the next.

As for me, I will live longer

than my hang-man.

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