"The manner of the execution of Saddam Hussein was completely wrong, but that should not blind us to the crimes he committed against his own people," he said at a joint press conference after talks at Downing Street 10 with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"So the crimes that Saddam committed does not excuse the manner of his execution but the manner of his execution does not excuse the crimes," said Blair.

"Now I think that is a perfectly sensible position that most people would reasonably accept," said Blair.

It was the first time Blair publicly commented on the hanging of Saddam. Since last month, Blair was criticized by senior government ministers for his silence on the execution.

On Sunday, British Chancellor of Exchequer Gordon Brown condemned the hanging of Saddam as "deplorable" and "completely unacceptable".

Saddam, deposed in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, was hanged at dawn on Dec. 30 in 2006, the first day of the four-day festival of Eid el-Adha (Islam's feast of sacrifice), for crimes against humanity.

The execution has provoked anger among Sunni Iraqis who consider the timing of the execution an insult to them.