BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Imprisoned former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein will stand trial beginning Oct. 19, a spokesman for the Iraqi government confirmed Sunday.

 

"We want this trial to be transparent and a national event," spokesman Leith Kubba said.

 

Along with others, Saddam is charged in connection with a series of 1982 detentions and executions following an assassination attempt against him.

 

On July 8, 1982, a convoy carrying Saddam traveled through the town of Dujayl, a Shia village north of Baghdad, and was attacked by a small band of residents. A series of detentions and executions in the town followed the incident.

 

According to Iraq's special tribunal, which filed the first charges against Saddam in July, 15 people were summarily executed and some 1,500 others spent years in prison with no charges and no trial date. Ultimately, another 143 were put on "show trials" and executed, according to the tribunal.

 

Saddam has been in custody since December 2003, when he was captured by U.S. troops.

 

The trial will be held after the Oct. 15 referendum, in which Iraqis will vote on a draft of the country's constitution, Kubba said.

 

The 1982 charges are the first of several Saddam is expected to face.

 

He appeared last year before an Iraqi tribunal to hear a list of preliminary charges against him, including the 1990 invasion of Kuwait; the 1986-88 Anfal campaign against the Kurdish minority in northern Iraq; the 1988 chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja during that campaign; and the suppression of the 1991 revolts by Iraq's Kurdish and Shia populations.

Lol, it is funny cause in history class teacher told us are those slaughters and crimes were supported by American money and arms. Saddam reign was a good friend of American goverment and a strategic ally in the middle east specially with the enemy Sha goverment in Iran, that ended in the Irani-iraquí war.

5 bucks says a lone gunman kills him before the trial is over.

Lol' date=' it is funny cause in history class teacher told us are those slaughters and crimes were supported by American money and arms. Saddam reign was a good friend of American goverment and a strategic ally in the middle east specially with the enemy Sha goverment in Iran, that ended in the Irani-iraquí war.[/quote']

 

 

no the weapons and money we gave was used for iran...he chose afterwards to use the weapons for his own people. not to mention russia and france both sold arms to iraq.

funny how some criminals get their just deserts while others and their crimes get ignored or worse erased from human memory :huh: :angry:

 

History is made by the winners