JURIST - Paper Chase: Kurd survivor testifies as Saddam genocide trial continues

[JURIST] A Kurdish witness testifying Tuesday in the resumed [JURIST report] genocide trial of Saddam Hussein [JURIST news archive] described how Iraqi troops bombed his village outside the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya in 1988 and of how he fled to Iran with relatives, but lost his mother and two sisters, whose identity cards were found in 2004 in a mass grave, along the way. Saddam defended the so-called Anfal campaign, declaring at one point in the session that "Rebellion is rebellion. Let's come up with one country which had a rebellion that wasn't confronted by the army."

A verdict in the Dujail crimes against humanity case [JURIST report] against Saddam and six co-defendants is expected to be delivered on October 16. Hussein is eligible for the death penalty [JURIST report] in the Dujail case, and a US official, speaking anonymously, indicated last month that the Anfal trial could continue posthumously [JURIST report] should Hussein be executed before proceedings in the second trial conclude. BBC News has more. AP has additional coverage.

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