Tariq Aziz, the public face of Saddam's tyranny, goes on trial

The trial of Tariq Aziz, the public face of Saddam Hussein's regime, began in Baghdad yesterday. The former Iraqi deputy prime minister is charged with executing dozens of merchants who were accused of breaking state price controls in 1992.

Mr Aziz, looking frail and weak in a brown suit and using a walking stick, entered the courtroom with six other defendants when Judge Raouf Abdul Rahman opened the tribunal. He is reported to have been in poor health.

It was the first time the 72-year-old Mr Aziz, who also served as foreign minister under Saddam, had answered any charges since he gave himself up to American troops in April 2003, two weeks after the former Iraqi leader's rule ended.

The Iraqi merchants that Mr Aziz is charged with killing were accused of increasing the prices of vital goods in breach of state price controls when Iraq was under UN sanctions imposed for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

His lawyer, Badie Arif, called the charges against his client a "farce". He added: "Keeping him in the prison for five years has embarrassed the government. There is international pressure ... and so they had to present him as a defendant. Legally, there's no case, but we can't predict how politics will influence it."

The only Christian in Saddam's inner circle, Mr Aziz rose to prominence in the world media during Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, which led to the 1991 Gulf War. Easily recognised by his large spectacles and white hair, Mr Aziz played Iraq's top diplomatic role in the run-up to the Gulf War when he was foreign minister, exhibiting faultless English, strong nerves and negotiating skills.

Other defendants in the present trial include Saddam's half brothers Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan, the interior minister when the executions occurred, and Sabaawi Ibrahim al-Hassan, a former security official. A former finance minister, central bankgovernor and two senior Baath party members also faced the Iraqi HighTribunal.

Another defendant is Saddam's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid, who was sentenced to death in June for his role in Saddam's "Anfal" military campaign in the 1980s, in which tens of thousands of Kurds were killed.

Legal arguments have so far held up the execution of al-Majid, better known Chemical Ali because of his role in using poison gas to kill Kurdish villagers.

The tribunal was set up to try former members of Saddam's government. Saddam was executed in December 2006 after being convicted of crimes against humanity for the killing of 148 Shias after an assassination attempt in 1982.

Mr Aziz had appeared as a witness in earlier trials of Saddam-era officials. He is a member of the Chaldean Christians, Iraq's biggest Christian group, and his presence in Saddam's government was often held up as evidence of religious toleration. He also helped Saddam build closer ties with the former Soviet Union.

The trial was adjourned until 20 May.

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