Saddam faces new trial

Source: CCTV.com

04-05-2006 09:17

The court trying Saddam Hussein says the former president will face a second trial in connection with a 1980s crackdown on Kurds in northern Iraq. Saddam and six co-defendants will face charges of genocide and other crimes against humanity.

The crimes include the gassing of thousands of civilians in the village of Halabja. The move paves the way for a second trial of the deposed ruler.

Saddam is already on trial for the killing of Shiites in a town north of Baghdad. Under Iraqi law, the second trial could begin in at least 45 days.

Investigative judge Raid Juhi says the charges had been filed with another judge, who will review the evidence and order a trial date.

Saddam and seven co-defendants have been on trial since October 19th, last year, for the alleged killing of over 140 Shiite men in Dujail after he survived an assassination attempt in 1982.

Iraqi authorities chose to try Saddam separately for various alleged crimes rather than lump all the cases into one proceeding.

Saddam could face death by hanging if convicted in the Dujail case.

It is unclear whether the sentence would be carried out while other trials were in progress.

Editor:Chen Zhuo