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Aziz Trial on Hold

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Posted on Apr 29, 2008

The trial of nine Iraqis—including former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and Ali Hassan al-Majid (aka “Chemical Ali”)—who were allegedly involved in the killing of 42 merchants in 1992 was delayed for about three weeks for logistical reasons soon after it started Tuesday.


Al Jazeera English:

The defendants are accused of involvement in the killing of 42 merchants who were accused of manipulating food supplies to drive up prices at a time when many Iraqis were suffering economically.

The merchants were rounded up over two days in July 1992 from Baghdad’s wholesale markets and executed hours later after a quick trial.

Their bodies were returned to their families the following morning.

Relatives of the men deny allegations that they were manipulating prices.

Some believe that they were killed because their power to set prices during sanctions meant they posed a threat to the Saddam regime, Owen Fay, Al Jazeera’s Baghdad correspondent, said.

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By TDoff, May 1, 2008 at 3:56 am Link to this comment

Before the 21st century, who ever heard of ‘Compassionate Conservative George’, or ‘Cowboy (I shoots my own feets off) Bush’, or ‘Mission Accomplished W’, or ‘President Dummy’. The times they are a’changin’, and war criminals come in all shapes and sizes, and from all nations.

And the US needs a good IMPEACHMENT.

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PatrickHenry's avatar

By PatrickHenry, April 30, 2008 at 4:01 pm Link to this comment

I guess they needed time to torture these guys some more.

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By TDoff, April 30, 2008 at 2:50 pm Link to this comment

WTF is going on in Iraq?

They have no potable water, no sewage, very undependable power, no security, and now they have to delay a trial for three weeks because they ran out of rope!!??

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By John M. Hall, April 30, 2008 at 7:50 am Link to this comment
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“logistical reasons”
What does that mean, it’s not close enough to election time?

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By Maezeppa, April 30, 2008 at 7:13 am Link to this comment
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Most people don’t realize that Aziz is a Christian.  Under Saddam Hussein Iraqi Christians and Jews lived in relative security compared to now.

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By rangertommy, April 30, 2008 at 6:55 am Link to this comment

Everytime I read about one of these figures from Saddam’s regime, I can’t help but wonder if the “notorious nicknames” were given to them after the decision was made to invade.  “Chemical Ali” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.  There were lots of others named before the invasion as well.  I don’t remember them by name, but they sounded as clever as, “Weapons of Mass Destruction Bob,” or “Long Range Missile Development Charlie,” or “Biological Weapons Development Edna.”  Honestly…do you think these nicknames really existed before the decision to invade?

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