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Iraq government to put Tariq Aziz on trial
Australian News.Net
Saturday 26th April, 2008
The Iraqi Special Tribunal, established under the U.S. by the Coalition Provisional Authority to try Iraqis for genocide, crimes against humanity,and war crimes is to try former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.
Aziz, the best known member of Saddam's regime, served as Foreign Minister and Deputy PM.
The English-speaking Catholic persistently told diplomats and reporters Iraq was not harboring weapons of mass destruction, claims later verified to be true.
Aziz, who surrendered to the Americans following the invasion by the U.S. and its coalition partners, in 2003, has been held in the Camp Cropper prison ever since without charges being laid.
Several countries, along with the spiritual leader of Iraq's Chaldean Christian community, Emmanuel III Delly, have endeavoured to obtain his release. He is reportedly suffering poor health.
The Iraqi government however is determined to try Aziz over the death of a number of merchants sixteen years ago, after they reportedly defied government policy and increased prices of their goods.
Nothing has been known of this until Thursday of this week when Jaffar Al Moussawi, a tribunal prosecutor, announced the trial of Aziz and other prominent members of Saddam's regime.
All charged will apear before the tribunal on Tuesday.
"Tariq Aziz will be presented for trial at the special tribunal over the execution of around forty merchants in 1992," Moussawi told Reuters.
Asked what the specific charges would be, Moussawi said: "It's believed he was involved in the case."
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