Second War Crime Charge Against Bush And Associates To Be Heard On May 7-12

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal will be hearing the second charge of crime of torture and war crimes against former United States president George W.Bush and his associates for six days from May 7. Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War (KLFCW) in a statement here Tuesday said the charge was brought against the accused after it had conducted investigations for almost two years of complaints made by the victims from Guantanamo Bay and Iraq to the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission in 2009. The trial would be a public hearing held in an open court at KLFCW premises at 88, Jalan Perdana, Kuala Lumpur. The victims of torture would also be called to give evidence before the tribunal, and the tribunal would adjudicate and evaluate the evidence presented as in any court of law, it said. The prosecution for the trial would be led by Prof Gurdial Singh Nijar, prominent law professor and author of several law publications; and Prof Francis Boyle, leading American professor, practitioner and advocate of international law. They would be assisted by a team of lawyers. The hearing of the first charge against Bush and former British Prime Minister Anthony L.Blair was held in November last year. Both of them were found guilty of crimes against peace for violating the United Nations Charter and international law when they planned, prepared and invaded Iraq on March 19, 2003 without just cause. -- BERNAMA