Posted on 10/12/2004 5:36:26 PM PDT by cgk
Wednesday 13 October 2004, 1:47 Makka Time, 22:47 GMTInvestigators probing mass graves in Iraq have conducted their first scientific exhumation of bodies.
Hoping to unearth crucial evidence that could help in convicting deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, investigators said nine trenches in a dry riverbed at the Hatra site in northern Iraq contained at least 300 bodies, and possibly thousands.
Those buried included children still clutching toys.
"It is my personal opinion that this is a killing field," said Greg Kehoe, a US lawyer appointed by the White House to work with the Iraqi Special Tribunal.
"Someone used this field on significant occasions over time to take bodies up there and to take people up there and execute them".
"I have been doing grave sites for a long time, but I have never seen anything like this, women and children executed for no apparent reason," Kehoe said. "It's a perfect place for execution".
Kurdish victims
The victims are believed to be minority Kurds killed during 1987-88. One trench contains only women and children, apparently killed by small arms. Another contains only men, apparently killed by automatic gunfire.
Some of the mothers died still holding their children. One young boy still held a ball in his tiny arms.
International organisations estimate more than 300,000 people died under Saddam's 24-year rule and Iraq's Human Rights ministry has identified 40 possible mass graves countrywide.
Authorities hope careful investigations of the site will provide enough evidence to convict Saddam and other senior members of his regime.
Though investigators have excavated smaller mass graves before, scientific exhumation is being done for the first time.
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Saddam (R) is likely to face trial |
Saddam is expected to face trial for crimes against humanity next year. Investigators are still pursuing evidence.
He is accused of widespread abuses against the Kurds, including a particularly gruesome campaign in 1988 when mustard gas was deployed against the population.
During his reign, Saddam pushed hundreds of thousands of Arabs into Kurdish areas to force the locals out. He is accused of widespread abuses against the Kurds, including the "Anfal" (The Spoils) campaign in 1988, during which thousands died in a mustard gas attack.
Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 50,000 Kurds were killed during the campaign.
Its very sad that Al Jazeera reports this with more prominently and with more horror than ABCCBSNBCCNNNYTWAPO etc. Pathetic
Its very sad that Al Jazeera reports this with more prominently and with more horror than ABCCBSNBCCNNNYTWAPO etc. Pathetic
Saddam Hussein should have pulled a Hitler
and committed suicide, but SH didn't have
the balls.
And liberals say "so?"
But one was Bill Clinton's "war" and the other is W's (and should be everyone elses).
"Those buried included children still clutching toys."
bttt
One of the very reasons I posted it. Because of where it came from, not just what it said... I'm glad you saw that too.
Quick. Someone tell Bill O'Reilly. Maybe he can talk about something besides Kerry.
Exactly! And America is to blame for the whole mess........
Ask Kerry he will still say wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. This mass grave is just another nuisance to him.
Dang, that was my thought exactly when I read this.
Yeah. I want to read again that crap I've been seeing about Iraq being better off under Saddam. BTT.
What a bloody nuisance.
According to Michael Moore Iraq was Nirvana before the US went there. What's a pesky mass grave or two to a liberal
Just sent it to Drudge.
POL POT...... and his killing fields......
Does he even "cover" these stories?
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