Tariq Aziz guilty of Iraq murders, jailed for (only) 15 years

[babylonsister]

Tariq Aziz guilty of Iraq murders

Tariq Aziz hearing the verdict against him

It is the first conviction against the former foreign minister and deputy PM


Tariq Aziz, for many years the public face of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi regime, has been jailed for 15 years for his role in the execution of 42 merchants.

Aziz had denied any role in the summary trials of the men accused in 1992 of profiteering during economic sanctions.

Two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers were also found guilty and sentenced to death by a court in Baghdad.

Another top official, Ali Hassan al-Majid - commonly known as Chemical Ali - was jailed for 15 years.

Two other Iraqi officials were jailed for six and 15 years, while a former governor of the Iraqi central bank was acquitted.

The trial is not viewed by Iraqis as a big political event, the BBC's Mike Sergeant in Baghdad says.

more...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7937034.stm?ref=fp4

[MrPerson]

1. In other news - Groucho Marx is still dead.

[cboy4]

2. Wow....talk about a person with blood just pouring from his

hands.

You know he signed off on every evil act for which Saddam was responsible, and he gets 15 years?

I can see the lenient American justice system is already rubbing off in Iraq.

[babylonsister]

3. Yes, my first thought, too. This guy probably should have

met the same fate as Hussein did. I don't know that I'd blame their justice system on us though.

[jmowreader]

4. And in the meantime...

George W. Bush, for many years the public face of Rush Limbaugh's Republican regime, has not yet been charged for his role in the murders of over a million Iraqis.

Bush is proud of his role in the invasion of a sovereign nation because his oil was under their sand.

Two of George Bush's brothers also remain free, although their crimes were economic ones against the United States.

Another top official, Dick Cheney - commonly known as Dead-Eye Dick - also remains free.

Two hundred other Limbaugh officials were not charged, while governors of American banks were rewarded for their financial malfeasance with infusions of billions of dollars in taxpayer-backed payments.

[PufPuf23]

5. Tariq Aziz is an Assyrian Christian

There were/are a number of remnant tribal religious sects from antiquity in Iraq.