'Every victim of Saddam Hussein was waiting for this moment'

Ali Hassan al-Haidari, who testified against former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during the Dujail trial, that led to Saddam's death sentence, sits at his home in Dujail, Iraq, January 28, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein's trial in 2005, two years after he was ousted by a U.S.-led invasion, was a chance for Ali Hassan al-Haidari to avenge the execution of his brothers and others from his village who were killed by the Iraqi dictator's security forces.

"Every victim of Saddam Hussein was waiting for this moment," said Haidari, one of the few people who was ready to show his face when giving testimony to the court that sent the former Iraqi strongman to the gallows.