8 January 2007
QUOTE
The Iraqi High Tribunal has dropped all charges against Saddam Hussein, who was hanged on 30 December, as the genocide trial of six co-defendants resumed.
They are charged with crimes against humanity over a campaign against Kurds in the 1980s that left 100,000 dead.
Saddam Hussein was hanged after an earlier trial over the killing of 148 Shia Muslims in the town of Dujail.
Many Kurds were disappointed that he was executed before facing justice for his role in the Anfal campaign.
Among the six remaining defendants is Saddam Hussein's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid, sometimes known as "Chemical Ali" for his alleged use of chemical weapons against the Kurds.
As the trial resumed he tried to read a prayer from the Koran in memory of his cousin, but the judge ordered him to stop. He also wore a long beard as a sign of mourning.
The defence argues the campaign - codenamed al-Anfal, or "the spoils of war" - was a legitimate operation to quell a rebellion after some Kurds sided with the enemy during the Iran-Iraq war.
Executions 'this week'
The trial had been in recess since 21 December.
Its resumption will throw the spotlight back on the Iraqi judicial system which has come under international criticism for the handling of Saddam Hussein's execution.
The former leader was taunted at the gallows and illicit images of his execution later appeared on the internet.
The UN has called for a stay of execution for two others sentenced to death in the Dujail trial.
But the Iraqi government says the execution of Barzan al-Tikriti and Awad al-Bandar will take place this week.
They are charged with crimes against humanity over a campaign against Kurds in the 1980s that left 100,000 dead.
Saddam Hussein was hanged after an earlier trial over the killing of 148 Shia Muslims in the town of Dujail.
Many Kurds were disappointed that he was executed before facing justice for his role in the Anfal campaign.
Among the six remaining defendants is Saddam Hussein's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid, sometimes known as "Chemical Ali" for his alleged use of chemical weapons against the Kurds.
As the trial resumed he tried to read a prayer from the Koran in memory of his cousin, but the judge ordered him to stop. He also wore a long beard as a sign of mourning.
The defence argues the campaign - codenamed al-Anfal, or "the spoils of war" - was a legitimate operation to quell a rebellion after some Kurds sided with the enemy during the Iran-Iraq war.
Executions 'this week'
The trial had been in recess since 21 December.
Its resumption will throw the spotlight back on the Iraqi judicial system which has come under international criticism for the handling of Saddam Hussein's execution.
The former leader was taunted at the gallows and illicit images of his execution later appeared on the internet.
The UN has called for a stay of execution for two others sentenced to death in the Dujail trial.
But the Iraqi government says the execution of Barzan al-Tikriti and Awad al-Bandar will take place this week.
Comment:
The Kurds have been cheated; they wanted justice and now have nothing. This clearly shows the pre-mature hanging of Saddam Hussein was politically motivated on America's behalf as well as revenge on the behalf of the Iraqi puppet administration. America didn't want it to be widely known that they supported Saddam around the time of the genocide as well as provided the chemical munitions.
This reminds me of a quote by Stalin: 'One death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic. ' So the killing of 148 Shia is a tragedy and the killing of 100,000 Kurds is not as important. So Saddam is seen as a Martyr and now he has escaped with murder; nothing but corruption in Iraq.