The Iraqi special tribunal released a video showing ex-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein being questioned by magistrates. The questions centered on the killings of dozens of men in the Shi'ite village of Dujail in 1982 after Saddam survived an assassination attempt.
The incident at Dujail is one of the less severe charges Saddam is facing and speculation is that it will be used as a test case by prosecutors against Saddam. Others have speculated that the Dujail case has more evidence of Saddam's direct involvement and will therefore be easier for prosecutors to prove in court.
No timetable has been set for the trial of Saddam Hussein although many in Iraq have said they want the trial to take place before the next elections. Kurds and Shi'ites have expressed an eagerness to try Saddam and execute him quickly.
The Dujail incident took place in July 1982. An assassination attempt was made on the Iraqi dictator as his motorcade drove through the town. As a result, more than 100 residents of the town were executed. The entire village was destroyed and hundreds of people were held in the southern part of the country by the government.
Rumors abound that two people are ready to testify that Saddam himself ordered the executions in Dujail including Saddam's half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti and former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan.
The video's release will also serve as a reminder to the insurgents that their former leader is being held by the Americans. The United States and its allies hope that will further weaken the resolve of the insurgency and remind the Iraqi people of the horrors of Saddam's regime.
