BAGHDAD (AP) - An Iraqi appeals court on Tuesday upheld death sentences imposed against 'Chemical Ali' al-Majid and two other Saddam Hussein lieutenants convicted of crimes against humanity for their roles in a massacre of Kurds, a judge said. The Iraqi High Tribunal upheld his death sentence in a majority decision, as well as those of former Defense Minister Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Tai and Hussein Rashid Mohammed, former deputy director of operations for the Iraqi Armed Forces, according to appellate court judge Munir Hadad. He said the government must carry out the executions within a 30-day period.
All three were convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in June for their role in the brutal crackdown that killed up to 180,000 Kurdish civilians and guerrillas two decades ago known as "Operation Anfal." Life sentences were also upheld for Farhan Mutlaq Saleh, former head of military intelligence's eastern regional office, and Sabir al-Douri, former director of military intelligence, Hadad said.