Witness bares attack scars in Saddam trial

BAGHDAD – A former Kurdish guerrilla fighter removed his shirt in a marbled Baghdad courtroom yesterday to show what he said were scars caused by a chemical attack ordered by Saddam Hussein in the 1980s.

Iskandar Mahmoud Abdul-Rahman told Saddam’s trial for genocide against ethnic Kurds how he and other comrades from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan were gassed after fleeing to a village in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region. “I began vomiting and I was dizzy, my eyes burnt and I couldn’t stand,” said Abdul-Rahman, a bespectacled and clean-shaven man wearing a grey suit.”I regained consciousness after 10 days and saw my body had been burnt completely.The doctors were giving me injections and medication including eye drops frequently.They cut the burnt skin with scissors.I can show the court my scars that are still visible on my body,” he said.After the judged agreed, the witness took off his blue shirt, showing several scars on his back, roughly 20 centimetres long.Saddam, his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as “Chemical Ali”, and five others face war crimes and crimes against humanity for the 1988 Anfal campaign or Spoils of War.Nampa-Reuters”I began vomiting and I was dizzy, my eyes burnt and I couldn’t stand,” said Abdul-Rahman, a bespectacled and clean-shaven man wearing a grey suit.”I regained consciousness after 10 days and saw my body had been burnt completely.The doctors were giving me injections and medication including eye drops frequently.They cut the burnt skin with scissors.I can show the court my scars that are still visible on my body,” he said.After the judged agreed, the witness took off his blue shirt, showing several scars on his back, roughly 20 centimetres long.Saddam, his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as “Chemical Ali”, and five others face war crimes and crimes against humanity for the 1988 Anfal campaign or Spoils of War.Nampa-Reuters