07/02/2007
War Crimes Tribunal Launched in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad launched a war tribunal Wednesday that plans to hold trials based on complaints by Iraqis and Palestinians against world leaders including U.S. President George W. Bush.

The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal, which opened with a preliminary meeting, would not have the legal authority of an international organization and could not impose penalties, but its main aim is to condemn leaders in history books.

The nine-member tribunal is tasked with hearing cases recommended to it by a separate commission chaired by Mahathir. On Wednesday, the commission has received its first petition signed by 10 people who called themselves victims of crimes against humanity, mostly in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestinian territories.

"We of the commission look upon these (cases) as a human tragedy, not confined to any particular race, religion, creed or faith,'' Mahathir told more than 1,000 peace activists.

It is not clear how long the commission will take to investigate the petition before the tribunal can start working.

"I hope we will be able to achieve something in ways of assuaging the pain that has been suffered by so many people in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and elsewhere,'' Mahathir said.

Most of the tribunal members are Malaysian legal experts and former judges, including chairman Abdul Kadir Sulaiman, a former judge in Malaysia's highest court.

He said the tribunal plans to add more international members "so that we will be properly represented by eminent jurists from all corners of the globe.''

The complainants include Ali Shalal Qaissi, an Iraqi who claims he suffered brutal torture including electric shocks while in detention at the Abu Ghraib prison, and Walid Salah, a Palestinian doctor who worked in occupied territories.

Mahathir said he expects Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian Prime Minister John Howard to be among those leaders accused of committing crimes against humanity.

"We the victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and such other crimes as contained in the relevant international laws and conventions do hereby petition (the commission) to act on our petition pertaining to the various injustices committed against us,'' said the memorandum submitted to Mahathir.