SUICIDE bombers struck near three hotels popular with Western journalists and businessmen yesterday just as Iraq announced the execution of Saddam Hussein’s notorious cousin known as “Chemical Ali”.

Saddam Hussein’s notorious cousin “Chemical Ali” was executed today after being sentenced to death for poison gas attacks that killed more than 5,000 Kurds in 1988.

SADDAM HUSSEIN’S notorious cousin “Chemical Ali” was convicted yesterday of crimes against humanity, receiving a death sentence for his involvement in one of the worst poison gas attacks ever against civilians – one of several he faces.

Saddam Hussein’s notorious cousin “Chemical Ali” was convicted today of crimes against humanity, receiving a death sentence for his involvement in one of the worst poison gas attacks ever against civilians – one of several he faces.

Iran’s state owned Arabic-language al-Alam TV station has confirmed that three US citizens were arrested after crossing the border from Iraq.

US presidential hopeful John McCain arrived in Baghdad today for an unexpected visit with Iraqi and US diplomatic and military officials.

Traffic stopped and people stood still in the streets despite rain for a period of silence today as Kurds in northern Iraq commemorated the anniversary of a 1988 chemical weapons attack that killed an estimated 5,600 people.

A DEFIANT Saddam Hussein shouted at prosecutors and refused to enter a plea yesterday at the opening of his second trial, in which he faces charges of genocide and war crimes connected to his scorched-earth offensive against the Kurds nearly two decades ago.

The second trial of Saddam Hussein began today, opening a new legal chapter for the ousted Iraqi leader, who is charged with genocide and war crimes from his scorched-earth offensive against Kurds nearly two decades ago.

A new legal chapter opens today for Saddam Hussein when the ousted Iraqi leader goes on trial for a second time, charged with genocide and war crimes from his scorched-earth offensive against Kurds nearly two decades ago.

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is set to face a second trial tomorrow - this time on charges of genocide and war crimes related to his scorched-earth offensive against Kurds two decades ago.

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.

An Iraq tribunal today announced new criminal charges against Saddam Hussein and six others in 1980s crackdown against the Kurds, including the gassing of thousands of civilians in the village of Halabja.

Nearly 2,000 angry Kurdish demonstrators today went on a rampage and badly damaged a monument to the 5,000 people killed in the poison gas attack on Halabja by Saddam Hussein’s army in Iraq 18 years ago.

A female witness, testifying at Saddam Hussein’s trial, said she was stripped naked in prison, hung by her feet and kicked in the chest by the former Iraqi leader’s half brother.

Saddam Hussein and four other defendants refused to attend at a new session of their trial today and their lawyers boycotted the proceedings, demanding the removal of the chief judge, who they claim is biased against the former Iraqi leader.

The court trying Saddam Hussein cancelled the resumption of his trial today, delaying the session for five days. The postponement came amid a squabble among judges over a last-minute shake-up in the court, according to judges.

The resumption of Saddam Hussein’s mass murder trial was delayed for several hours today, apparently as the sides wrangled over a last-minute shake-up in the court in which a new chief judge was appointed.

Saddam Hussein’s trial was to resume today, a day after court officials named a new chief judge and ousted another jurist off the five-member panel trying the former Iraqi leader.

A SERIES of bombings rocked war-ravaged Iraq, a day before the trial of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein was set to resume before a new Kurdish judge.

A DUTCH chemicals supplier was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling Saddam Hussein’s regime the materials used in lethal gas attacks on Kurdish villages in the 1980s.

Prosecutors in The Hague today open their case against a Dutch businessman who faces charges of complicity in genocide for supplying chemicals to deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

A Dutchman accused of supplying fallen Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein with chemicals used in attacks on several Kurdish villages in the 1980s was to go on trial today on changes of complicity in genocide.

SADDAM HUSSEIN’S trial is be shown a video shot by his own photographer as a crucial piece of evidence against the former dictator.

THE world will be watching Saddam’s trial to see whether Iraq’s new Shi’ite and Kurdish leaders can rise above politics and prejudice and give the former dictator a fair hearing.

IRAQIS gathered around televisions to watch Saddam Hussein's trial yesterday, with Shi'ite victims of his regime calling the proceedings long-overdue justice, but some Sunni Arabs condemning it as unfair humiliation of the former leader.

Proceedings in the trial of Iraq’s former leader Saddam Hussein were delayed today for an unknown reason.

Nearly two years after his capture, Saddam Hussein is finally facing trial today for alleged crimes against fellow Iraqis.

Ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will face charges of premeditated murder, torture and forced expulsion and disappearances when he goes on trial next week for a 1982 massacre of Shiites, a court official said today.

Iraqi authorities have set October 19 as the date for the start of the trial of Saddam Hussein, an official said. A Western diplomat discounted the report as ”posturing".

An Iraqi court has decided to begin the first trial of Saddam Hussein on October 19 and is in the process of notifying his legal team, a legal official said today.

The family of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, has said it has dissolved his Jordan-based legal team, cancelling the power of attorney it had given to international lawyers in a move seen as reorganising Saddam’s legal counsel ahead of his upcoming trial.

THE Iraqi justice minister yesterday accused the US of delaying the interrogation of Saddam Hussein.

IRAQ’S insurgency appeared unfazed by two US-led military offensives, mounting separate attacks that killed at least 37 people, mostly security forces, and wounded scores of others yesterday.

Saddam Hussein’s notorious cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, better known as “Chemical Ali,” was one of eight former regime officials to be shown today on a tape released by the Iraqi Special tribunal.

Four bombings, including three suicide attacks within seven minutes, killed at least nine people, including at least three Iraqi soldiers, in northern Iraq early today, while the government announced it has detained nearly 900 suspected militants in a two-week sweep in Baghdad.

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.

A legal adviser to Saddam Hussein today criticised jailers of the former Iraqi dictator for allowing half-naked pictures of him to be taken.

A DUTCH businessman accused of complicity in war crimes and genocide for selling chemicals to Iraq knew Saddam Hussein would use them for poison gas attacks, prosecutors said yesterday.

A Dutch businessman accused of complicity in genocide by selling chemicals to Iraq in the 1980s knew that Saddam Hussein might use them as weapons, prosecutors said at his first public hearing today.

Rawya Rageh, Baghdad

Iraq’s first freely-elected parliament in half a century began its opening session today after a series of explosions targeted the gathering, marking a major milestone on the road to forming a new government in the insurgent-wracked country.

Rebels launched a series of attacks in Iraq today that left at least 24 people dead and dozens wounded as the country took its first major step toward forming a government whose most crucial task will be dealing with the insurgency.

Rebels launched a series of attacks in Iraq today, killing 16 people and wounding dozens more as the country took its first major step toward forming a government whose most crucial task will be dealing with the insurgency.