Iraq’s presidency endorsed the execution of Saddam Hussein’s cousin known as “Chemical Ali” who was sentenced to death for his role in the 1980s scorched-earth campaign against Kurds, a government adviser said today.

The wife and daughter of the brother of “Chemical Ali” al-Majid, one of the most notorious figures of the former regime, were found slain today at their home in this northern city, police said.

Saddam Hussein’s cousin today told Iraq’s High Tribunal that it had no right to try him for war crimes because US forces were immune from prosecution for their alleged wrongdoings in Iraq.

IRAQI authorities yesterday filed genocide charges against Saddam Hussein, accusing him and six co-defendants in the 1980s crackdown that killed an estimated 100,000 Kurds.

Iraqi judges have started interrogating Saddam Hussein’s former defence minister and the notorious general known as Chemical Ali, who is accused of gassing thousands of Kurds in the 1980s, the head judge in charge of investigating detained former regime leaders said today.

THE former Iraqi general known as Chemical Ali, who is accused of using chemical weapons attacks to kill thousands of Kurds, will be the first of Saddam Hussein’s cohorts to stand trial next week, a government official said yesterday.

Iraq will bring top figures of Saddam Hussein’s ousted regime to court next week for the first time since they appeared before a judge five months ago, and formal indictments could be issued next month.

Thousands of Iraqi Kurds demonstrated today to demand the death sentence for Saddam Hussein and one of his key lieutenants – Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as Chemical Ali – be put to death for the gas attack that killed 5,000 people in 1988.

SADDAM HUSSEIN will be transferred to Iraqi legal custody and face charges in an Iraqi court this week but he won't go on trial for months.

IRAQ’S US-installed interim government established a special tribunal yesterday to deal with crimes against humanity committed by Saddam

SADDAM HUSSEIN'S notorious henchman Ali Hassan al-Majid dubbed "Chemical Ali" has been captured in Iraq.

Former Iraqi official Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as Chemical Ali for his use of poison gas in attacks, has been captured, a US official said today.

The US military has issued a most wanted list of 55 former leaders in Saddam Hussein’s regime to be pursued, captured or killed.

A US ARMOURED force punched into the heart of Baghdad yesterday and established a stronghold in one of President Saddam Hussein’s palaces, while troops in central Iraq found a cache of suspected Iraqi chemical weapons.

THE US military yesterday said it had found the body of the bodyguard of Iraqi commander “Chemical Ali,” but Iraq dismissed reports the military chief himself may have died in an air strike.

Coalition aircraft today struck the home of an Iraqi general known as ”Chemical Ali” for ordering a poison gas attack that killed thousands of Kurds in 1988.