CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – Despite threats against the lives of judges and their families, Iraq’s judicial system is making progress, the country’s chief justice said during a visit to New Hampshire.

“We are looking now, to look again, to analyze the constitution – those issues that disturb a little bit the independence of judges,” Madhat Al-Mahmood said Sunday evening through an interpreter. “We are hoping to win this with the help of our friends inside Iraq and outside Iraq.”

Al-Mahmood spoke to about 200 people under tight security at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Recently retired New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice Joseph Nadeau, who has been advising judges in Iraq, arranged the visit.

“He does not seek political power or personal gain, he does not intimidate or deceive,” Nadeau said. “He builds, he leads, he inspires.”

Al-Mahmood was elected last year to head the nine-member Iraqi Supreme Court, which is fashioned after the U.S. Supreme Court. He said that under Saddam Hussein, Iraq had 700 judges. Now there are 1,000. The number of women judges has increased from five under Hussein to 28, he said.

He said the roughly 4,000 security officers hired to protect judges are not enough, and that 22 judges and many of their family members have been murdered. Al-Mahmood’s son was one victim of the violence.

“We need much higher numbers to protect the judge and his family,” he said.

He blamed outsiders for sectarian violence in Iraq.

“If Iraqi society is left to its own, there won’t be major differences between us,” he said.

Al-Mahmood didn’t express an opinion on Hussein’s trial, which was conducted by an independent court outside his purview. Earlier this month, Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to be hanged.

“I cannot give my personal opinion about what comes out of this trial,” Al-Mahmood said.

He also avoided giving his view of whether American troops should remain in Iraq.

“This is a political situation we leave for the politicians,” he said in a brief interview after the address.

But he said international involvement is crucial to establishing peace and democracy in Iraq.

“Have faith that the independence of justice in Iraq means to support democracy in the world, means to support the human rights issue in the world,” he said.

AP-ES-11-13-06 1239EST