"South News", March 16^th, 1998

Baghdad: Iraq's National and Arab Front said Saturday President Clinton should be tried for "crimes against Iraq's people" by causing "the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children, elderly and women in Iraq."

The statement refers to economic sanctions imposed on Iraq in 1990, leading to the Gulf War. Iraq blames US president Clinton and his aides for prolonging the punishing U.N. sanctions. It says thousands have died of malnutrition and medicine shortages caused by the embargo.

In addition to Clinton, the Front said other leaders who should be prosecuted included former President Bush, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and American defense secretaries who were not identified.

Iraq's parliament will recommend President Clinton and other Western leaders be brought to trial for war crimes against the Iraqi people, the official Iraqi News Agency said quoting Sultan al-Shawai, chairman of the National Assembly's legal and administrative committee.

Shawi said his committee was drafting a report on how to bring Clinton, former President Bush and other Western leaders to trial, and will submit it to the parliament for approval in "an extraordinary session."