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| A man watches the state run Al-Iraqiya television channel showing the execution of Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", in Baghdad. Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin and henchman "Chemical Ali" was executed on Monday just days after he was sentenced to death for the 1998 gassing of thousands of Kurds, a crime that shocked the world. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) |
BAGHDAD, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Saddam Hussein's close aide "Chemical Ali" has been executed in Baghdad, the Iraqi official television reported Monday.
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| Video grab of the state run Al-Iraqiya television channel showing Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", before the execution, in Baghdad. Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin and henchman "Chemical Ali" was executed on Monday just days after he was sentenced to death for the 1998 gassing of thousands of Kurds, a crime that shocked the world. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) |
"Ali Hassan al-Majeed has been executed today," the channel quoted Ali al-Dabbagh, the government spokesman, as saying.
Dabbagh refused to give further details about the time of the execution of the convict.
On Jan. 17, the former Saddam Hussein top aide received his fourth death penalty for his role in chemical attacks against Kurds in the village of Halabja.
Halabja, a Kurdish village, suffered the most brutal crackdown against Iraq's ethnic Kurds during the so-called Anfal campaign carried out by Saddam's regime in the 1980s. In March 1988, at least 5,000 people were believed to be killed in conventional and chemical bombings and attacks ordered by Saddam's authorities.
Al-Majeed had been sentenced to death for his role in Anfal campaign against Kurds who revolted in northern Iraq during the war with Iraq in 1980s.
In 2008, Chemical Ali was once again sentenced to death for his crimes against Shiite community during their uprising in southern Iraq that followed the 1991 Gulf War.
In 2009, al-Majeed was sentenced to death for the third time for the assassination of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad al-Sadr in 1999.
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| Video grab of the state run Al-Iraqiya television channel showing the execution of Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", in Baghdad. Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin and henchman "Chemical Ali" was executed on Monday just days after he was sentenced to death for the 1998 gassing of thousands of Kurds, a crime that shocked the world. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) |
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| Saddam Hussein's notorious henchman "Chemical Ali", seen here in 2007, has been executed, Iraq's government said, eight days after he was sentenced to death for the 1998 gassing of thousands of Kurds. (Xinhua/AFP File Photo) |
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| Saddam Hussein's notorious henchman "Chemical Ali", seen here in 2007, has been executed, Iraq's government said, eight days after he was sentenced to death for the 1998 gassing of thousands of Kurds. (Xinhua/AFP File Photo) |
