Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging on Sunday after being found guilty of crimes against humanity for the Dujail case. 

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein yells at the court as he receives his verdict during his trial held under tight security in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone November 5, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

In this image from TV Chief judge Raouf Rashid Abdel-Rahman begins Sunday's Nov. 5, 2006 session in Saddam Hussien's trial held in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    Also sentenced to death were Barzan Hassan, Saddam Hussein's half-brother and former head of the intelligence agency, and Awad Bandar, the former chief judge of the Revolutionary Court.

    Taha Yassin Ramadan, the former vice president of Iraq, was sentenced to life in prison.

    Three other defendants were each sentenced three to 15 years in jail, and one was acquitted.

    After the sentence, Saddam immediately cried "Long live Iraq. Long live the nation. God is greater than the occupiers."

    Four guards escorted Saddam out of the courtroom after they cuffed him.

    Saddam and his seven co-accused have been charged with crimes against humanity for the killing of 148 Shiite villagers after a failed attempt assassination in the town of Dujail in 1982.

    The defense team headed by Khalil al-Dulaimi attended the session while chief judge Rauf Abdel Rahman ejected former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark, who is part of an international defence team, from the court.

    Iraq's Shiite Muslim Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the former leader should be condemned to hang, adding he should get "what he deserves" for his alleged crimes.

    Baghdad was in tight security because of the former leader's trial.

    Baghdad's international airport was closed as of 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Sunday, while a curfew was imposed in the capital and two neighboring provinces Diyala and Salahuddin from 6 a.m..

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