Leading Saddam aide appears before Iraqi war crimes tribunal

TARIQ Aziz, Saddam Hussein’s former deputy prime minister, has appeared before Iraq’s special tribunal as it steps up the process of questioning former regime loyalists about war crimes.

The tribunal yesterday released film showing Aziz, looking relaxed in a white prison robe, responding to questions about an exchange of letters he had with Saddam’s office over a written question from the UN about the killing of Kurds.

Several other officials were also questioned, including Saddam’s cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as Chemical Ali, who appeared before a judge for the second time in two weeks.

In the tribunal footage, Majid, who wore a traditional Arab head-dress looked old and tired.

The Iraqi government wants to put Saddam and other officials on trial as soon as possible. Saddam himself was questioned two weeks ago.

It was not clear when Aziz was questioned but his lawyer Badea Aref, said that it happened on June 21.

“The prosecutor was impolite to Mr Aziz and he even told him: ‘You are a criminal’,” he said.

Aziz, often considered number two in the leadership, is alleged to have been involved in several purges in the 1970s and 80s during which an unspecified number died.