Iraq to create war crimes tribunal

Iraq’s interim government has voted to establish a tribunal to prosecute top members of Saddam Hussein’s regime for crimes against humanity, according to two people who attended the meeting.

The tribunal will be formally established on Wednesday, when the US administrator for Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, temporarily cedes legislative authority to the Iraqi Governing Council so that it can create the court.

Governing Council member, Younadem Kana, told The Associated Press that the court’s proceedings would be open to the Iraqi public – possibly even broadcast on television.

He said the first suspects brought to trial could include top officials of Saddam’s government on the “deck of cards” of 55 most-wanted Iraqis.

“The top 55, they are the first priority,” Kana said.