Saddam in court on TV

Published on 30/06/2004 12:41

SADDAM HUSSEIN is expected to be charged in front of television cameras tomorrow, giving Iraqis and the world their first glimpse of the deposed dictator since his capture in December.

The former Iraqi president and 11 of his top lieutenants are due to be brought to court tomorrow to face war crime charges likely to include the 1988 chemical weapons massacre of Kurds and the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The death penalty remains a possibility.

The first batch of Saddam’s lieutenants to face the tribunal include Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali"; former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan; ex-deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz; and two of Saddam’s half brothers.

Iraq is due to take legal custody of Saddam from the US today ahead of his court appearance tomorrow.

Salem Chalabi, director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal that will try Saddam, said tomorrow’s appearance at the tribunal, housed in a courthouse inside Baghdad’s sealed-off Green Zone, is expected to be filmed for public release.

Upon their arraignment, the dozen US military detainees will be given the status of Iraqi criminal suspects, which gives them the right to attorneys, Mr Chalabi said.