A tape was played in Iraqi court today of Saddam Hussein and his cousin Chemical Ali discussing their plans to gas Kurdish population centers in Iraq.
Over 3,000 Kurdish villages were destroyed by Saddam Hussein during his genocide campaign against the Iraqi minority. (Academic.regis.edu)
Saddam and his cousin Chemical Ali were heard discussing gassing Kurdish villages today in an audio tape played at the Kurdish genocide trial in Iraq.
AFP reports:
BAGHDAD (AFP) – Saddam Hussein okayed the use of chemical weapons on crowds of Kurds in the 1980s, prosecutors have claimed, producing an audio tape purportedly containing the voice of the executed dictator.
“I will take responsibility for using the chemical weapons. No one can direct the strike without my approval,” the voice claimed by trial prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon to be that of Saddam is heard saying on the tape Monday.
“It is better to use this weapon in crowded places to be effective on as many people as possible,” the voice is heard saying.
Faroon produced the dramatic tape soon after the resumption of the genocide trial of six former Iraqi regime officials accused of slaughtering 182,000 Kurdish villagers in the 1980s.
Saddam, hanged on December 30 after being found guilty of crimes against humanity in a separate trail, had been chief accused in the genocide trial.
Reuters has more from the tape heard in court today:
“I will strike them with chemical weapons and kill them all and damn anyone who is going to say anything,” a voice identified by prosecutors as “Chemical Ali” Hassan al-Majeed is heard saying.
“Yes it’s effective, especially on those who don’t wear a mask immediately, as we understand,” a voice identified as Saddam is heard saying on another tape.
“Sir, does it exterminate thousands?” a voice asks back.
“Yes, it exterminates thousands and forces them not to eat or drink and they will have to evacuate their homes without taking anything with them, until we can finally purge them,” the voice identified as Saddam answers.
It’s hard to imagine that there were those who mourned this monster’s death 9 days ago.
HotAir includes a video link to Saddam’s burial.
