TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Ali Hassan al-Majid, a feared cousin of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) nicknamed “Chemical Ali” for his use of poison gas in attacks, has been captured by U.S. forces in Iraq (news - web sites), the U.S. military said on Thursday.
“We do have him and he was captured alive,” U.S. Central Command spokesman Lt. Ryan Fitzgerald told Reuters.
Fitzgerald said no details were available on the arrest, where it took place, or whether Majid was injured.
Majid was No. 5 on a U.S. list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqis and the “king of spades” in a U.S. Army deck of cards depicting fugitive members of Saddam’s government.
Majid’s detention comes after the arrest this week of former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan in Mosul, the northern Iraqi city where Saddam’s two sons were killed last month by U.S. troops.
“Coalition forces will continue to work at apprehending former members of Saddam Hussein’s regime,” said U.S. Central Command.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Changez_like: *
**How do you tell when US is not lying?
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oh gosh... i can see page three of this thread right now.
Anyways, what happens with Ali Hassan al-Majid now? i mean, is he going to be shipped off to Guantanamo? What's his legal status? Any chance of him being tried at the Hague or is the ever-neutral Mr. Rummy going to preside over his sentencing?
If he gets tried at tha Hague, it means that he will probably still be alive and kicking in 10 years.
Probably better to try him in Iraq, where they will have a better chance of successfully implementing a death sentence on him if he can be proven guilty of the crimes he is accused of.
Problem is, there is no true jurisdiction in Iraq. I doubt the US would want to try him, and they're the only ones with legal status to do so as it is. We could defer to international law, but that might cause more trouble than certain folks would like. I say this would be a good opportunity to get the Iraqi gov't started.. get away from renaming holidays and monuments and maybe they'll get some respect. Plus it'll force all factions to go hard-nosed on a subject together, any party that refuses to fry Ali wouldn't last long in Iraqi politics (excluding hardcore Baathists).
i will just humbly add - he is not the only one who is responsible for committing those atrocities. There were certain parties that supplied the chemicals he needed to accomplish his gassing objectives. um, a certain US government during the 1980s.
Anyways, perhaps the less said about that the better, i've exceeded my monthly quota of arguments and don't really want to get into an argument about US culpability in this issue as i know i will get killed in this Forum.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by spoon: *
**I doubt the US would want to try him, and they're the only ones with legal status to do so as it is.*
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hm interesting. What about the Brits?
[quote]
*I say this would be a good opportunity to get the Iraqi gov't started.. get away from renaming holidays and monuments and maybe they'll get some respect. Plus it'll force all factions to go hard-nosed on a subject together, any party that refuses to fry Ali wouldn't last long in Iraqi politics (excluding hardcore Baathists).
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Good point.
The Iraqi Governing Council has already stated that Iraqis will convene tribunals. Or shoot, just hand him over to the Kurds, they will have a good idea of what to do with him....
Tell him he's free to go, and then drop him off in Halabja with a big sign around his neck saying "Hi! I ordered the gassing of your families, of your women, of your children!"
On a more serious note, I think that his capture will probably accelerate efforts to construct an Iraqi judicial organization with the legal authority to try, imprison and if appropriate, execute senior Ba'ath party officials involved with large-scale crimes.
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*Originally posted by mAd_ScIeNtIsT: *On a more serious note, I think that his capture will probably accelerate efforts to construct an Iraqi judicial organization with the legal authority to try, imprison and if appropriate, execute senior Ba'ath party officials involved with large-scale crimes.
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I hope you're right. The Iraqis need real living bodies from the Saddam regime to vent their hatred and wrath toward for 20+ years of repression. Unless their freedom also comes with justice, they will remain unsatisfied and look in other directions to vent their frustrations.
The full breadth and scope of the crimes of Saddam must be fully disseminated and understood amongst the Iraqi people and they must learn and be convinced that the final arbiters of punishment and justice are the Iraqi people themselves.