Iraqi government prepares 12 accusations against Saddam Hussein

The interim Iraqi government announced that the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein might face the greatest possible penalty. This comes following preperations for trial for 12 accusations against him out of 500 accusations set by the court specialized for trying him.

The spokesman for the Iraqi government Leith Kebbeh said on Sunday that the former president might be tried within two months for several accusations including allegations of using chemical weapons against the Kurds to the north of Iraq. However, the spokesman did not set a certain day to start the trial.

Kebbeh stressed the desire of the interim government to accelerate the trial of Saddam Hussein who is held by the American forces in a prison whose place is not set in Iraq. The American army detained the former Iraqi president in December 2003.

In addition to allegations on his use of chemical weapons against the Kurds, the special court prepared what it described confidential files on orders he gave to kill thousands of the Shiite in the south of Iraq following the incidents that followed the war of Kuwait in 1991.

However, the spokesman for the committee in defense of Saddam Hussein in Jordan, lawyer Issan Ghazzawi, criticized the Kebbeh statement and said that it is illegal to issue accusations against the "Iraqi President" in this way.

He added that the only legal channel through which accusations can be addressed is the court, beside Saddam's lawyers should receive copies of the accusations.