| THE trial of ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and his cronies, including number two Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri whose arrest was announced today, will begin before elections due in January, an Iraqi minister said today. "The trial of Saddam Hussein and the rest of his clique, including Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, will start before the Iraqi elections scheduled for January," said State Minister Qassem Daoud, who is on a visit to Kuwait. Mr Daoud said that "between 150 and 200 terrorists whom Douri supervised and financed" were arrested along with Ibrahim. Iraqi officials said earlier today that Ibrahim had been arrested on the outskirts of the town of Tikrit after fierce clashes with his supporters that left about 70 people dead or injured. |