Anfal trial resumes nine days after Saddam's hanging

Saddam Hussein’s Anfal trial, for the killing of 180,000 Kurds in the 1980s, resumed in Baghdad today with the late dictator’s seat empty, nine days after he went to the gallows.

The court’s first order of business was to drop all charges against Saddam.

Six co-defendants still face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their roles in a military campaign code-named Operation Anfal during the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war.

Shortly after the court reconvened, a bailiff called out the names of the accused and the six men walked silently into the courtroom one after another.

Chief Judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa said the court decided to stop all legal action against the former president, since “the death of defendant Saddam death was confirmed”.

Saddam was hanged on December 30, in a chaotic execution that has drawn global criticism.

All seven defendants in the Anfal case, including Saddam, had denied charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Saddam and one other man also pleaded not guilty to the additional charge of genocide.