First criminal case brought against Saddam

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/i...-charges_x.htm

BAGHDAD (AP) — The first criminal case has been filed against Saddam Hussein, stemming from the 1982 massacre of dozens of Shiite villagers in retaliation for a failed assassination attempt against the former leader, the head of the tribunal overseeing his prosecution said Sunday. The date for the trial of Saddam and three others was expected to be determined in a few days. If convicted, they could face the death penalty. Raid Juhi, chief judge of the Iraq Special Tribunal, said the preliminary investigation into the July 8, 1982, massacre in Dujail, 50 miles north of Baghdad, has been completed, and the case was referred to the courts for trial. The announcement roughly corresponds to an indictment in the U.S. legal system, legal officials said. However, Saddam and the others will be considered "charged" when they appear in court. The court now has 45 days to announce a start date for the trial, but Juhi said it would "be determined within the few coming days."