Genocide trial resumes

Baghdad: Saddam Hussain's trial for the killing of 180,000 Kurds in the 1980s resumed on Monday with the late dictator's seat empty, nine days after he went to the gallows.

The court's first order of business was to drop all charges against Saddam.

Six co-defendants still face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their roles in a military campaign code-named Operation Anfal during the 1980-88
Iraq-Iran war.

Shortly after the court reconvened on Monday, a bailiff called out the names of the accused and the six men walked silently into the courtroom one after another.

Chief Judge Mohammed Oreibi Al Khalifa said the court decided to stop all legal action against the former president, since "the death of defendant Saddam death was confirmed."

Saddam was hanged on December 30, in a chaotic execution that has drawn global criticism for the Shiite-dominated government.

The six remaining defendants - all senior members of
Saddam's ousted regime - include his cousin Ali Hassan Al Majid, known as "Chemical Ali" for his alleged use of chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurds.

As Al Majid took his seat in court Monday, he tried to turn on his microphone to speak publicly. The judge quickly shut it off, preventing him from being heard.

The other defendants are former Defense Minister Sultan Hashim Al Tai, who was the commander of Task Force Anfal and head of the Iraqi army 1st Corps; Sabir Al Douri, Saddam's military intelligence chief; Taher Tawfiq Al Ani, former governor of Mosul and head of the Northern Affairs Committee; Hussain Rashid Mohammad, former deputy director of operations for the Iraqi Armed Forces and Farhan Mutlaq Saleh, former head of military intelligence's eastern regional office.

Many Kurds regret the chief suspect can no longer face justice for his role in the Anfal campaign against them, thanks to an earlier trial for crimes against humanity for killing Shi'ites - but they hope others share his fate on the gallows.