Saddam is now officially charged with Genocide

[Carte Blanche]

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...ial/index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been charged for the first time with genocide, Iraqi chief investigative judge Ra'id Juhi announced Tuesday.

Juhi said that investigators had completed their work gathering witnesses and evidence and were ready to go to trial.

Hussein and six co-defendants -- including Ali Hassan al-Majeed, a former Iraqi general known as "Chemical Ali" -- will stand trial for genocide on charges relating to the Anfal campaign against Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s.

That campaign included the gassing of 5,000 civilians in the village of Halabja in 1988, but Juhi told CNN that the incident was not included in Tuesday's charges and would be prosecuted separately.

Estimates of the number of deaths in the Anfal operation range from 50,000 to nearly 200,000.

Hussein is already on trial with seven co-defendants from his former regime on charges of crimes against humanity in Dujail, a town north of Baghdad, after a failed assassination attempt against the ex-Iraqi leader in 1982. (The charges against Saddam Hussein)

It is unclear when the Anfal trial would begin; it could start as early as next month. It is also not clear how or if the two trials would go on at the same time.

Hussein's current trial is set to resume Wednesday after a three-week recess.

The former Iraqi leader angrily testified March 15 before much of the session was closed to the media.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said Tuesday he expected the special tribunal hearing the cases would hear all of them before rendering a verdict in any.

"I believe the court is working on a plan whereby he will be tried for all the crimes then a verdict will be handed down," he said.

Hussein could face up to 20 trials on various charges, including the 1991 suppression of the Shiite uprising in southern Iraq.

Good news actually. He needs to be brought to justice and looks like his days are numbered. I am all for a death sentence to him.

Sad thing is, he was the only person who could run this country. Pity it takes a tyrant, eh?

[Miraz]

Really does not matter whether he is charged officially or unofficially. US and its allies will hang him anyway. Only problem is they are very prompt against Saddam but really don't care about many other of similar or even worse past (Mladic being one of the examples).

[jayed]

usa will neva hang him!
don't u get it? saddam is usas FRIEND!
usa convinced saddam 2 attack iran, bcos the great ayatollah komeni was building confidence and resurging islamic ideas.

the us don like it.
and saddam is usas best friend. he is their jewel, he is the key 2 other fortunes.

[Miraz]

Originally posted by jayed
usa will neva hang him!
don't u get it? saddam is usas FRIEND!
usa convinced saddam 2 attack iran, bcos the great ayatollah komeni was building confidence and resurging islamic ideas.

the us don like it.
and saddam is usas best friend. he is their jewel, he is the key 2 other fortunes.

Dear USA used Saddam and he has no value to US now. He is now a used toilet paper, they will dispose him asap.

Edited on, April 4, 2006, 6:05 PM GMT, by Miraz.