In the process in the case of Hussein, the judge gave the lawyers the "last chance" to present a list of witnesses

In Baghdad, on Tuesday, the process of Saddam Hussein and six members of his closest encirclement in the al-Anthal case (about the genocide of Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s) resumed. It is expected that the testimony of several witnesses of the prosecution will be heard at the trial, ITAR-TASS reports. The previous meeting was held on November 8.

Judge Muhammad al-Uribi gave the lawyers of the defendants on Tuesday the last chance to represent the list of witnesses on their part. The defense has not yet called the names of its witnesses, motivating this with the need to ensure their safety, and the fact that many of them changed their places of residence.

Already sentenced to the death penalty in the first case of Ed-Dujil (on the destruction of the former regime of 148 residents of the Shiite village), ex-president Iraq and his associates are accused of involvement in the destruction of more than 180 thousand Kurds in the late 80s. Only in the village of Halabja near the border with Iran as a result of the use of Iraqi aircraft of chemical weapons 5 thousand civilians died. If Hussein’s fault in the second case of al-Antall will be proven, he also faces the highest measure of punishment.

On Sunday, the head of the prosecution, the prosecutor Munkis Al-Firun, said that he had audio cassettes with a recording of the meetings of the ex-dictator and high-ranking representatives of the Baas Party in Northern Iraq. On one of them, the former head of state indicates that chemical weapons can be applied "only with its sanction."

As the main prosecutor noted, it follows that "the responsibility for its use is completely on Saddam." Representatives of the prosecution intend to present these films to the court. And if the tribunal considers it necessary, then they will be attached to the case as the main evidence.

In addition, according to al-Firun, there is also a written confirmation of Hussein’s words, namely the documents signed by him, in which he gives an order to use chemical weapons against the Kurds. It is expected that several more witnesses of the prosecution will perform at the hearings.