Five judges picked for Saddam trial
Afp, Baghdad
Five judges have been chosen for the much-anticipated trial this month of toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein over the massacre of Shia Muslim villagers in 1982, a source close to the court said yesterday. "Five magistrates will try Saddam Hussein," the Iraqi Special Tribunal source said without identifying the judges. Saddam and seven of his former henchmen are due to go on trial on October 19 for the killing of 143 Shia Muslims in the village of Dujail, north of Baghdad in 1982, following an attempt on his life there. The eight face the death penalty if found guilty. Asked about the possibility of a postponement as demanded by Saddam's defence lawyer, the source said: "That depends entirely on the judges. The tribunal is totally independent."
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