Tariq Aziz, one of the most recognisable faces of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, is on trial for his life after prosecutors called yesterday for a stiff sentence on behalf of the widows of scores of merchants whom he is charged with helping to execute.

Leaning on a cane, Mr Aziz, a former Foreign Minister, appeared a diminished figure as he entered the court in Baghdad's fortified green zone accompanied by seven codefendants, including “Chemical Ali” Hasan al-Majid, who also walked with a stick. The men are accused of killing 42 merchants in 1992 after blaming them for increasing food prices when Iraq was suffering under UN sanctions.

Adnan Ali, the chief prosecutor, asked the court “to issue the suitable punishment that will ease the hearts of widows and oppressed ones”. The defendants are charged with crimes against humanity, which means they could be sentenced to death if convicted. The prosecutor said that the eight were responsible because they were members of a rubber- stamp group that approved Saddam's decisions.

Mr Aziz, who had no lawyers present, accused those who tried to assassinate him in an attack almost three decades ago of wanting to finish the job. “This is a selective process wrought by the personal motivations of those intent on destroying Aziz,” the 72-year-old, who was also once Deputy Prime Minister, told the court. “It is a plot of personal revenge.” The case will continue today.

Mr Aziz, a fluent English-speaker with a penchant for cigars and the only Christian among Saddam's top officials, has spent the past five years in a US-run detention centre in Iraq since surrendering to US forces in the weeks after the invasion.

His lawyers have long complained about their client's ill-health. Ziad Aziz, his son, who lives in Amman, said that the absence of legal support was because a team of foreign lawyers had not been granted visas.

The trial, presided over by the same judge who sentenced Saddam to death in 2006, is the fourth to be conducted by the Iraqi High Tribunal, which was established to try former regime officials.

The opening session on April 29 was adjourned because al-Majid was too ill to attend. He is already on death row with two more Saddam allies for their part in killing tens of thousands of Kurds.

The drama took place as 10,000 Iraqi police and soldiers, backed by tanks, pushed deep into Sadr City in an attempt to regain control of the Baghdad Shia slum from militiamen.

Hundreds of people have been killed there in weeks of clashes between US and Iraqi forces and Shia militiamen.

Tariq Aziz: voice of Iraq

— Born in Mosul to a Christian family in 1936. Studied English literature at Baghdad College of Fine Arts

— Joined the Ba’ath party in 1957; worked with Saddam to overthrow the monarchy

— Made Minister of Information in 1974 and later appointed Foreign Minister

— In 1977 joined the Revolutionary Command Council.

— Wounded in an assassination attempt by Iran-backed Islamic fundamentalists in 1980

— Instrumental in restoring Iraqi-US diplomatic relations 1984

— Came to prominence in 1991 after the invasion of Kuwait

— As a member of the Revolutionary Command Council (Iraq’s highest state body), he is regarded as complicit in launching wars against Iran and Kuwait

— Also accused of gross violations of the Geneva convention relating to prisoners of war during 1990-91 and the use of excessive force against the Marsh Arabs

— Deputy Prime Minister until 2003

Source: Times archives

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