Iran Indicts Saddam

Agence France-Presse:

Iran has announced it had sent its own indictment against former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to Iraq's government, with the list of complaints including genocide and the use of chemical weapons. READ MORE

"The indictment has been sent through the foreign ministry. I presume it has been received," Justice Minister Jamal Karimi-Rad said.

He was speaking the day before the former Iraqi dictator is to appear in court in Baghdad for what is likely to be the first of several trials relating to atrocities he allegedly committed during his decades in power.

"It is about Saddam's crimes and not reparations, which is an Iraqi government issue," Mr Karimi-Rad said.

He described the indictment as "the people of Iran versus Saddam and his collaborators".

He said the complaints included "bombing schools, mosques, houses, and using chemical weapons... genocide, crimes against humanity, violating international conventions such those of Geneva and The Hague, (and) violating all Islamic and ethical principles" as well as "killing clerics, women, children and innocent people".

Iran and Iraq fought a devastating war from 1980-1988, after Saddam attempted to profit from its neighbour's revolutionary turmoil by making a land grab in the oil-rich south west of Iran.

The conflict cost the lives of up to one million people, most of them Iranians, and involved the use of nerve gas and other chemical weapons by Iraqi troops.