BAGHDAD, Iraq, September 18 ,-- The trial of
Saddam Hussein and six of his former commanders,
accused of orchestrating a genocidal campaign
against ethnic Kurds in the late 1980s, resumed in
Iraq on Monday with Kurds still angry with the chief
judge for telling the ousted president that he was
not a dictator.
Judge Abdullah al-Amiri, a Shiite Arab, made the
comment Thursday after Saddam, a Sunni, challenged
testimony by a Kurdish witness when he begged for
the release of nine missing relatives.
"Why did he try to see Saddam Hussein (if) Saddam
Hussein was a dictator and was against the Kurdish
people?" the former president asked.
The judge replied: "You are not a dictator. You were
not a dictator. However, the people or the
individuals and officials surrounding you created a
dictator (out of you). It was not you in particular.
It happens all over the world."
"Thank you," Saddam responded, bowing his head in
respect.
The friendly exchange angered the Kurdish community,
which already had complained that al-Amiri was too
lenient with Saddam.
Two hours after the comment about Saddam, al-Amiri
abruptly recessed the session until Monday for what
he called "technical reasons."
Saddam and six co-defendants are being tried on
charges of committing atrocities against Kurds
during the Operation Anfal crackdown in Kurdistan
(northern Iraq) nearly two decades ago. The
prosecution alleges some 180,000 people died in the
campaign, many of them killed by poison gas.
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Chief judge Abdullah al-Amiri on Saddam genocide
trial. Photo:AP
Former dictator Saddam Hussein (R), and his cousin Ali Hassan Al-Majeed
known as "Chemical Ali" (L)
Photo : AFP |
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