BAGHDAD, April 4: Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein will stand trial on new charges of genocide against Kurds in the late 1980s, the court trying him for crimes against humanity said on Tuesday. Prosecutors said Saddam, facing possible death sentence, could be brought to account as early as next month for the killing of thousands of Kurds and destruction of their villages.

Saddam’s co-accused will include his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as “Chemical Ali” for his role in a poison gas attack against the Kurdish village of Halabja in 1988 that killed 5,000 people.

“We declare the investigations are completed in the case called the Anfal campaign in which thousands of women, children and men were killed. The accused are being transferred to the criminal court,” said court spokesman Raid Jouhi.

“They will be tried according to the Iraqi law for charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.”

Some of Saddam’s old enemies, former exiles who are now political leaders, are struggling to form postwar Iraq’s first full-term government nearly four months after parliamentary elections.

Their deadlock over the post of prime minister has prompted the United States and Britain to step up pressure on Iraqi leaders to form a new government as soon as possible.

The volatility of the situation was underlined anew on Tuesday. A car bomb exploded in eastern Baghdad, killing at least seven people and wounding 25, police said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and her British counterpart Jack Straw warned Iraqi leaders on a secret weekend visit that time was running out, saying the political vacuum threatened to fuel violence.

Pressure is building on Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to step down to break the stalemate. But even if he does, there are no clear replacements in his Shi’ite Alliance and few Iraqis believe their politicians can tackle the country’s woes.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Tuesday he expected Saddam Hussein to stand trial for all cases filed against him before the court reaches a verdict.

That could mean a drawn-out process that Saddam has already turned into a platform to challenge the authority of the court and urge Iraqis to revolt against US occupation.

Jouhi said it was too early to tell if Saddam will face a verdict after all his charges are prosecuted. He faces death by hanging if found guilty.

With no signs that their leaders will reach agreement on a new government, Iraqis can only expect more uncertainty and bloodshed.—Reuters