Saturday, December 24, 2005
Who Else Is Guilty of War Crimes?
If this man is guilty of War Crimes, there are several “leading” Americans who also share guilt and deserve to be tried for the same crime.
But, people have accused me of being cynical to the max, so, perhaps I'm just over-reacting.
Dutch Merchant Found Guilty of War Crimes
The Associated Press
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/printer_122405D.shtml
Friday 23 December 2005
The Hague, Netherlands - A Dutch chemicals merchant was sentenced to 15 years in prison Friday for selling Saddam Hussein's regime the materials used to kill thousands in lethal gas attacks on Kurdish villages in the 1980s.
Frans van Anraat, 63, was not in the courtroom when the judges found him guilty of war crimes but acquitted him of genocide charges. Outside the courtroom, more than 100 Kurds sang, banged drums and danced in celebration.
***
But van Anraat argued he was unaware the materials would be used in chemical warfare, and that he was being unfairly targeted while countless others have not been prosecuted for supplying arms and military intelligence to Iraq.
Although the court determined that the slaughter of thousands of Kurds in the villages constituted genocide, it said van Anraat could not be held responsible for genocide since his chemicals were delivered to Iraq before the mass killings began.
He was instead found guilty of multiple counts of war crimes, violating the laws and customs of war and causing death and serious bodily harm to the whole or entire Kurdish population, said presiding Judge Roel van Rossum.
But, people have accused me of being cynical to the max, so, perhaps I'm just over-reacting.
Dutch Merchant Found Guilty of War Crimes
The Associated Press
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/printer_122405D.shtml
Friday 23 December 2005
The Hague, Netherlands - A Dutch chemicals merchant was sentenced to 15 years in prison Friday for selling Saddam Hussein's regime the materials used to kill thousands in lethal gas attacks on Kurdish villages in the 1980s.
Frans van Anraat, 63, was not in the courtroom when the judges found him guilty of war crimes but acquitted him of genocide charges. Outside the courtroom, more than 100 Kurds sang, banged drums and danced in celebration.
***
But van Anraat argued he was unaware the materials would be used in chemical warfare, and that he was being unfairly targeted while countless others have not been prosecuted for supplying arms and military intelligence to Iraq.
Although the court determined that the slaughter of thousands of Kurds in the villages constituted genocide, it said van Anraat could not be held responsible for genocide since his chemicals were delivered to Iraq before the mass killings began.
He was instead found guilty of multiple counts of war crimes, violating the laws and customs of war and causing death and serious bodily harm to the whole or entire Kurdish population, said presiding Judge Roel van Rossum.
