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Amid Israel's Threat, Here's How Saddam Hussein Was Killed: Once-Dapper Leader Pulled Dirty From...
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Saddam Hussein's execution in December 2006 sparked international controversy after a video surfaced online, showing witnesses taunting him moments before he was hanged.
The deadly conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify, with both sides expanding the scope of their attacks. According to reports, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 200 people in Iran, including top military officials and civilians. Amid rising tensions, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggesting he could meet a fate similar to that of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
'I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and launch missiles towards Israeli civilians," Katz was quoted as saying in a Reuters report. He followed the warning by reminding of the fate of Saddam Hussein.
How Did Saddam Hussein Die?
Saddam Hussein ruled over Iraq from 1979 until he was overthrown and captured by a US-led coalition in 2003. Upon coming to power, he quickly eliminated political opposition, turning Iraq into a one-party state centred around a cult of personality. His regime was marked by brutal repression, including the torture, disappearance and execution of civilians who dared to speak against the government.
He was accused by an Iraqi court of committing numerous massacres during his reign. Some of the most grave claims include the 1982 slaughter of Shias in Dujail and also the 1988 Halabja massacre, where he used chemical weapons to attack a Kurdish town, killing 30,000 people with the poisonous gas. The reason? The people dared to rise against him.
At that time, the Iraqi people were not even allowed to vote to remove their government. 'Freedom of expression, association, and movement did not exist in Iraq. The media was tightly controlled—Saddam Hussein's son owned the daily Iraqi newspaper. Iraqi citizens could not assemble except in support of the government. Iraqi citizens cannot freely leave Iraq," stated the US Department of State.
In short, he gave a simple yet terrible choice: remain silent or face the consequences.
Following his capture during the Iraq War, Hussein was tried before an Iraqi tribunal and was convicted. In November 2006, he was found guilty of committing crimes against humanity, including illegal imprisonment, willful killing, deportation and torture, and thus sentenced to death by hanging. His execution left many families of the victims celebrating, while other Iraqis felt deeply upset over the chilling video of Hussein, who was once the president of their country.
Cell phone footage captures Saddam Hussein in the final moments before his execution in 2006. — Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) April 6, 2025
On December 30, 2006, thousands of Iraqis watched as the once-feared leader walked towards the gallows, ultimately meeting a brutal end.
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