On December 28, 2008, the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal commenced a new trial of senior officials of Saddam Hussein's government in connection with the execution of thousands of political prisoners during the dictator's rule. The officials, including Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali," faced additional charges in other trials before the tribunal, established by the US occupation authority to prosecute Hussein officials accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other atrocities committed between 1968 and 2003. Al-Majid was ultimately executed in January 2010 for ordering the gassing of the Kurdish village of Halabja.

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