Dujail massacre

On 8th July 1982, people in Dujail tried to kill the president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. The village has about 10.000 people, and lies about 65 kilometres (40 mi) north of Baghdad. The village was a stronghold of the Islamic Dawa Party. The party opposed the rule of Saddam Hussein, and the war against Iran. Saddam Hussein was in the village to hold a speech in honor of the soldiers who had served in the war. After visiting a mosque, the convoy was heading towards the center of the village. Then the convoy was attacked. Hussein's bodyguards opened fire at the attackers. In the process, two children were killed. The next day, government officials arrested over 600 people, among them women, children and old people. These people were sent to secret prisons in the capital, Baghdad. 148 of these people were never seen again, there are no traces. Farms and plantations were seized, the people staying in the village had to leave it for four years. This event is called Dujail massacre today.

When Saddam was seized, involvement in this massacre was the first accusation (of a total of twelve) against Hussein, and seven other people. On 5th November 2006, Hussein was found guilty, and sentenced to death by hanging.

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