Saddam Hussein's Trial Begins: A New Era of Justice for Iraq?

Saddam Hussein's trial marks a new chapter in Iraq's history, as the former dictator, known for his brutal rule, faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. The trial, which is the first of dozens that may be held against Mr. Hussein and his associates, began with the former dictator's defiant attitude, but as the session progressed, he seemed to acknowledge the reality of his situation. The 68-year-old Mr. Hussein appeared in court wearing a store-bought suit and shoes provided by his American captors, and was charged with the torture and killing of 148 men and teenage boys in the town of Dujail in 1982.

Key Takeaways:

• Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi dictator, pleaded not guilty to charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the first day of his trial on November 21.
• The trial, which is the first of dozens that may be held against Mr. Hussein and his associates, began with Mr. Hussein's defiant attitude, but as the session progressed, he seemed to acknowledge the reality of his situation.
• The 68-year-old Mr. Hussein appeared in court wearing a store-bought suit and shoes provided by his American captors.
• Mr. Hussein was charged with the torture and killing of 148 men and teenage boys in the town of Dujail in 1982, and his associates, including his vice president, half-brother, and former head of the secret police directorate, were also charged.
• The courthouse was secured with double barriers of concrete blast walls, rolls of razor-wire, sniffer dogs, high-tech body-scanning machines, and an American Abrams tank at the gate.
• American attack helicopters and fighter-jets maintained vigil above the courthouse, but there were no evident security breaches.
• The barely functioning audio system in the courtroom left International human rights observers, high-ranking officials of the new Iraqi government, and reporters with only snatches of the exchanges.
• Mr. Hussein's lawyers contended that many of the 3,000 pages of evidence handed to them were blank.
• American officials promised all would be fixed for the next session.
• Mr. Hussein arrived carrying a green-backed Koran that he clasped on his knees, a powerful message in a country racked by a war in which Islamic militants with Al Qaeda links have become American troops' most deadly enemies.
• The trial marks a new era of justice for Iraq and the Middle East, according to officials of the new government.

Statistics:

• 3,000 pages of evidence handed to Saddam Hussein's lawyers were blank.
• 148 men and teenage boys were killed in the town of Dujail in 1982.
• 46 men were tortured to death in a Baghdad detention center.
• More than 100 others were executed, including four uninvolved men simply swept up when groups of condemned men were taken to the gallows at Abu Ghraib.
• 400 men, women, and children were imprisoned.
• Scores of houses in Dujail were destroyed.
• 250,000 acres of palm groves and orchards were razed.
• $138 million in American financing was spent on the trial.

Sources:

• The New York Times, "Saddam Hussein's Trial Begins; Former Dictator Pleads Not Guilty"
• The New York Times, "Saddam Hussein's Trial Begins; Former Dictator Pleads Not Guilty" (Photo)
• The New York Times, "Saddam Hussein with Awad Hamad al-Badr and Four of His Fellow Defendants in the Dock as Their Trial Began in One of His Former Offices"
• The New York Times, "A Panel of Five Judges Is Trying Mr. Hussein and Seven Others in Connection with the Killing of 148 People in 1982"