Saddam's Dirty Dozen

April 11, 2003 -- Among the 55 members of Saddam Hussein's fallen regime being sought by coalition troops, there is a "dirty dozen" of top leaders who are believed to be responsible for the worst crimes under the dictator's rule.

U.S. military officials have issued coalition troops in the field packs of playing card-sized cards emblazoned with photographs and details of 55 senior Iraqi leaders with instructions to take them dead or alive.

The cards were meant to help coalition forces identify Iraqi leaders, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks told reporters at a U.S. Central Command briefing in Qatar today.

"The key list has 55 individuals who may be pursued, killed or captured, and the list does not exclude leaders who may have already been killed or captured," Brooks said. "The intent here is to help the coalition gain information from the Iraqi people so that they also know exactly who it is we seek."

Here are brief portraits of the "dirty dozen" of the Iraqi regime targets who have been identified for likely war crimes prosecution:

Saddam Hussein, president, chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council; launched wars against Iran and Kuwait; oversaw repression of uprising; ordered chemical attacks; destruction of Marsh Arabs and other minorities.

Odai Hussein, Commander of Fedayeen, president of Iraqi Olympic Committee, older of Saddam's sons; personally engaged in acts of torture; oversaw widespread looting of Kuwait; accused of frequent serial rape and murder of young women.

Qusai Hussein, head of Republican Guard and Special Security Organization, younger of Saddam's sons; lead role in repression of uprising, Kurds and Marsh Arabs; initiated and supervised program of prison cleansing resulting in mass executions of prisoners.

Ali Hassan Majid, Saddam's cousin, aka "Chemical Ali," the Iraqi military commander who oversaw attacks that killed as many as 100,000 Kurds including 5,000 at Halabja; military governor of Kuwait.

Taha Yassin Ramadan, vice president, deputy prime minister, Popular Army commander; violations of Geneva IV during Kuwait occupation; repression of uprising (reportedly ordered forces to run tanks over heads of rebels in Najaf); attacks against Kurds and repression of minorities.

Tariq Aziz, deputy prime minister; personally involved in taking hostages during the Gulf War; complicit in attacks on Kurds and Marsh Arabs.

Barzan al-Tikriti, Saddam's half-brother; former head of Mukhabarat, former ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, may be charged with the disappearance and execution of several thousand Kurds, murder, assassinations abroad.

Mohammed Hamza al Zubaidi, former head of Northern Bureau of Baath Party; played lead role in suppressing post-war uprising; mass executions, torture and destruction in Iraqi cities; acts of genocide against Kurds.

Aziz Salih Numan, former governor of occupied Kuwait and commander of Popular Army in Kuwait; involved in repression of uprising; responsible for destruction and repression in Karbala and Najaf.

Izzat Ibrahim, vice chairman of Revolutionary Command Council; excessive use of force against Marsh Arabs and other minorities; complicit in chemical attacks; mass executions and destruction of villages; brutally punished and murdered deserters during the Iran-Iraq war.

Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan al-Tikriti, Saddam's half-brother, former director of intelligence and the General Security Directorate; repression of uprising following Gulf War included mass executions and torture.

Watban Ibrahim Hasan al-Tikriti, Saddam's half-brother, former adviser and minister of interior; directly involved with brutal repression of uprisings in numerous Baghdad suburbs, repression of religious and ethnic minorities; encouraged use of torture and rape.