Former Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein and seven of his former henchmen will go on trial on October 19 over the killing of 143 people in the village of Dujail, a government official confirmed on Sunday.
"In view of recent leaks to the press and in the absence of an official spokesman for the tribunal, I have been authorized to announce that the trial of Saddam Hussein will begin on October 19," government spokesman Laith Kubba told a news conference Sunday, according to AFP.
Saddam is also later expected to face separate trials on further counts of crimes against humanity, mainly with regard to the gassing of Kurds and the mass killings of Shiites in the south of the country.
Saddam could face the death penalty if found guilty.
Those who will stand trial include former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan, former intelligence chief Barzan Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, a Saddam half-brother, and Awad Ahmad al-Bandar, a former deputy chief in Saddam's cabinet.
The other four -- Abdullah Khadem Ruweid, Mezhar Abdullah Ruweid, Ali Daeh and Mohammad Azzam al-Ali -- are former ruling Baath party officials responsible for the Dujail area.
