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Top Saddam Officials, Half-Brothers Sentenced 


Iraq's top court has sentenced the main spokesman for Saddam Hussein's regime, Tariq Aziz, to 15 years in prison for crimes against humanity.

The former deputy prime minister was sentenced Wednesday for his role in the execution of dozens of Baghdad traders in 1992.

The court sentenced two of Saddam's half-brothers, Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan and Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan, to death for their role in the case.

Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as Chemical Ali for chemical gas attacks against Iraqi Kurds in the 1980's, received a 15-year sentence in connection with the traders' deaths.

Majid has already been sentenced to death three times for Saddam-era crimes, most recently for a 1999 crackdown on Shi'ite protesters.

Aziz was acquitted of charges in that case. He still faces two more trials.

Saddam was ousted by a U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and arrested later that year. He was tried by an Iraqi tribunal, found guilty of crimes against humanity and executed in 2006.

Aziz turned himself in to U.S. authorities shortly after the invasion.
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