Judge in Charge of Saddam's Trial to Visit Iran

Asefi said the Iranian concerned bodies including the foreign ministry are preparing documents about Saddam’s crimes against Iranian nation.

Saddam invaded Iran in 1980 and captured large parts of Iranian territory.

Then United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez du Cuellar declared Iraq as the initiator of the war against Iran.

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge Thursday, July 1 to hear charges of crimes committed during his rule.

Mohammad-Javad Larijani, the Judiciary official responsible for international affairs, said here Saturday that details on Iran’s official complaint against Saddam will be finalized at the next session of Judiciary and executive branch officials.

Larijani told the Mehr News Agency that special subcommittees have been formed to compile Iran’s grievances against Saddam, which will present the results of their work, and then the final complaint will be filed.

Various organizations are involved in the work, he said, adding that the ground has been prepared for extensive action.

Majlis Legal and Judicial Committee Chairman Mohammad-Taqi Mohassel Hamedani said Saturday that the committee is pursuing the issue of Iran’s complaint against Saddam for the crimes he committed against and the damage which he inflicted on Iran during the war.

Iran's state attorney's office held its first session Saturday on how to go ahead with a suit which the Islamic Republic is considering to file against jailed dictator.

Attorney General Ayatollah Abdonnabi Namazi said that the charges had several ''dimensions'', characterizing them as ''ideological, cultural, social, political, military, legal and juridical''.

He cited some of the crimes committed by the former Iraqi leader, including detention, imprisonment and torture of Iranians, expulsion of ethnic Iranians from Iraq and massacre of Iranians in border towns and demolition of their houses.

Demolition of agricultural and animal husbandry centers, refineries, and other production centers, bombardment of educational centers, chemical bombing of Iranian towns, including use of sarine gas, as well as use of torture against Iranian prisoners of war and their execution were some of other crimes cited by the cleric.

Saddam’s trial isn't expected until 2005.

MS/HB

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MNA