Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was executed before dawn, just before the start of an Islamic holiday. Many Bronx Muslims question the timing of Hussein's hanging.

Saddam Hussein clutched a Quran and refused a hood as he went to the gallows before sunrise Saturday in Iraq. And, after first refusing to say any final words, he shouted "God is great. The nation will be victorious and Palestine is Arab." The deposed president was hanged for war crimes committed during his reign.

Many Islamic Bronx residents say Hussein deserved punishment and his death was imminent, but the timing was off. The Muslim holiday Eid Al-Adha is observed as a day of sacrifice. However, residents say he will not be remembered as a martyr, but rather as a ruthless executioner.

Related information: Ex-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein executed in Baghdad