SADDAM HUSSEIN could face up to 500 charges, but prosecutors will focus on 12 well-documented cases, including the gassing of thousands of Kurds in northern Iraq, an official said yesterday.

The daughter of an Australian engineer held hostage in Iraq posted an emotional message to his kidnappers on a family website, saying she was not only praying for her father, but also for his captors.

Two car bombs exploded in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk today, including one targeting a Shiite mosque.

Suspected insurgents killed a brigadier general as he drove to work at the Ministry of Defence in Baghdad today, police said.

US FORCES hunting down followers of Iraq’s most wanted terrorist pushed into a lawless region north of the Euphrates River near the Syrian border yesterday.

The family of an Australian engineer being held hostage in Iraq offered a “donation” to the Iraqi people today, as Australia’s top Muslim cleric left for Baghdad in a last-ditch effort to win his release.

Australia’s most senior Muslim cleric dashed to Baghdad in a last-ditch attempt today to win the release of an Australian engineer after asking the kidnappers for mercy via Arab TV, arguing that most Australians opposed the war in Iraq.

A suicide car bomb exploded in central Baghdad today, killing at least six people and wounding nearly 30, including a number of American civilians.

The family of an Australian held hostage in Iraq has appealed for his release, saying the captors’ demand that his country begin withdrawing troops from the country would not change the government’s policy.

Militants holding an Australian engineer hostage have issued a 72-hour ultimatum for Australia to start pulling troops out of Iraq, Arab television station al-Jazeera reported today.

Yahya Barzanji, Irbil

Two Australian brothers made an impassioned plea on Arabic television today for the release of their elder brother being held hostage in Iraq, saying he was ill and his abduction would not persuade Australia to withdraw troops.

Australia’s foreign minister went on Arabic TV to appeal for the release of an engineer kidnapped in Iraq, saying he has a serious heart condition.

A CAR BOMB exploded in an upmarket shopping district of Baghdad yesterday, killing at least six Iraqis and setting fire to an apartment building, in a surge of violence that has left at least 130 people dead since a new government was formed last week.

Australia today formed a team of diplomats, defence staff and police who will attempt to free an engineer seized by Iraqi insurgents, but the government had a blunt message for the kidnappers: Australia will not remove its troops from Iraq or pay any ransom.

A day after insurgents killed at least 36 Iraqis in a series of attacks, including the bombing of a funeral, militants set off three explosions in Baghdad today, including one that narrowly missed a top Iraqi security official, police said.

Australia’s prime minister said today that he will not negotiate with terrorists who reportedly kidnapped an Australian man seen in a video pleading for US-led coalition forces to leave Iraq.

A SUICIDE car bomb exploded at the funeral of a Kurdish official in northern Iraq yesterday, killing 20 Iraqis and wounding more than 30 and bringing the death toll in three days of insurgent attacks to at least 100.

Iraqi militants have kidnapped an Australian man who pleaded for US-led coalition forces to leave Iraq in order to save his life, according to a video tape obtained today.