“Chemical Ali” to Begin Iraqi Trial

Trials of members of the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein will begin next week with the prosecution of Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as “Chemical Ali,” charged with ordering the 1988 gassing of Iraqi Kurds in the village of Halabja, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, July 21).

“The trials will take place from next week until mid-January, and the first to be tried will be Chemical Ali,” an Iraqi government spokesman quoted the country’s defense minister, Hazem Shaalan, as saying.

Majid, 60, is charged with ordering the chemical weapons attack that killed 5,000 people, mostly women and children, in the Kurdish village (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Dec. 15).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.