Saddam faces death penalty

THE prosecution yesterday asked for the death penalty against former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and two of his co-defendants.

His trial was told that the former Iraqi leader and his regime committed crimes against humanity in a “revenge” attack on Shi’ite civilians in the 1980s.

The closing arguments brought the eight-month-old Baghdad trial into its final phase, and after yesterday’s session, the court adjourned until July 10, when the defence will begin making its final summation.