"Chemical Ali" to be Hanged in Iraq Within 30 Days

Iraq's president and two vice presidents have given final approval for the execution of "Chemical Ali" within 30 days.

From the Associated Press:

BAGHDAD - Iraq's presidency endorsed the execution of Saddam Hussein's cousin known as "Chemical Ali," who was sentenced to death for his role in the 1980s scorched-earth campaign against Kurds, a government adviser said Friday.

The backing by Iraq's President Jalal Talabani and two vice presidents is the final step for the approval of Ali Hassan al-Majid's death sentence, which must be carried out within 30 days of the decision.

Al-Majid was one of three former Saddam officials sentenced to hang in June after being convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for their part in the Operation Anfal crackdown that killed nearly 200,000 Kurdish civilians and guerrillas. An appeals court upheld the verdict in September.

Some background on Chemical Ali from BBC News:

Kurdish offensive

Al-Majid was appointed governor of northern Iraq in March 1987, marking the beginning of a sustained offensive, known as the "Anfal Campaign", by Iraqi troops against the Kurdish population.

Kurdish organisations describe the events which followed as genocide.

A decree signed by al-Majid, dated 3 June 1987, stated: "Within their jurisdiction, the armed forces must kill any human being or animal present in these areas."

Human rights campaigners say the Iraqi army then proceeded to kill tens of thousands of Kurdish civilians in gas attacks and by summary execution.

'Governor of Kuwait'

Iraq's invasion of Kuwait ended al-Majid's career in the north.

Following the annexation of the Gulf state in August 1990 he became effectively "governor" of what Baghdad called "Iraq's 19th governorate".

Although he was replaced in that position in November 1990, in March 1991 al-Majid was promoted to minister of the interior.

The British pressure group Indict accuses him of crimes against humanity for his role in suppressing the Kurdish and Shia-led uprising which broke out as Iraqi troops fled Kuwait.

After a period as defence minister from 1991 to 1995, he was relieved of his ministerial duties.

However, he continued to hold important Baath Party posts, as a member of the ruling Revolution Command Council and leader of the Baath Party in Salah-al-Din governorate, which included Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit.

Family defectors

Al-Majid's position was threatened in 1995, when two of his nephews, Saddam Hussein's sons-in-law, Hussein Kamil al-Majid and Saddam Kamil al-Majid, defected to Jordan with their families.

He then personally led the so-called "jihadi offensive", which resulted in the murder of the two brothers, their father (his own brother) and several others for treason.