Ali Hassan al-Majid, Iraqi general and politician, Iraqi Minister of Defence (b. 1941)

Ali Hassan Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: علي حسن عبد المجيد التكريت, romanized: ʿAlī Ḥasan ʿAbd al-Majīd al-Tikrītī), infamously known as "Chemical Ali" (Arabic: علي الكيمياوي, romanized: ʿAlī al-Kīmīawī), was a pivotal and notorious figure within the Iraqi Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein. Born on 30 November 1941, al-Tikriti, a first cousin of the former Iraqi president, carved out a brutal legacy as a military commander and politician, eventually leading to his execution on 25 January 2010.

Ascension and Influence Within Saddam's Regime

Ali Hassan al-Majid's rise to prominence was significantly aided by his close familial ties to Saddam Hussein, which granted him considerable trust and power within the authoritarian state. His career was marked by holding several high-ranking positions that were instrumental in maintaining the regime's iron grip on Iraq and suppressing any form of dissent.

Key Governmental and Military Roles

• Defence Minister: He played a crucial role in military strategic planning, particularly during periods of conflict.
• Interior Minister: This powerful portfolio put him in direct control of Iraq's internal security forces and intelligence apparatus, making him a central figure in suppressing domestic opposition.
• Chief of the Iraqi Intelligence Service (Mukhabarat): As the head of the primary intelligence agency, he was responsible for monitoring and neutralizing perceived threats to the regime, both internal and external.
• Governor of Kuwait (1990–91 Gulf War): During the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, al-Majid was appointed its governor, overseeing a period marked by systematic looting and widespread human rights abuses before the international coalition's intervention.

The "Chemical Ali" Nickname and the Al-Anfal Campaign

Al-Majid earned his grim sobriquet "Chemical Ali" from the Iraqi populace due to his direct command over the use of chemical weapons against civilian populations. This devastating tactic was most notoriously employed during the Al-Anfal campaign, a genocidal operation orchestrated against the Kurdish ethnic minority in northern Iraq during the late 1980s.

The Al-Anfal Campaign: A Genocide Defined

The Al-Anfal campaign, meaning "The Spoils" in Arabic, was a series of military offensives conducted by the Iraqi regime between 1986 and 1988, with the primary objective of crushing Kurdish resistance and fundamentally altering the demography of Iraqi Kurdistan. Under Ali Hassan al-Majid's leadership, the campaign involved a horrific array of atrocities:

• Extensive Chemical Weapon Attacks: Numerous Kurdish villages and towns were subjected to repeated chemical bombardments. While the notorious Halabja chemical attack in March 1988, which killed thousands, is often cited as a distinct event, it occurred within the broader context of the widespread chemical warfare deployed throughout the Al-Anfal operations. Agents such as mustard gas and nerve agents like Sarin and Tabun were used indiscriminately against civilians.
• Mass Killings and Executions: Tens of thousands of Kurdish civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, were rounded up, transported to desert regions, and systematically executed in mass graves.
• Forced Displacement and Deportation: Entire Kurdish communities were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands, with their homes and villages razed to the ground, leading to widespread displacement and refugee crises.
• Systematic Destruction of Infrastructure: Over 4,000 Kurdish villages were completely destroyed, agricultural lands poisoned, and livestock killed, rendering large areas uninhabitable and erasing the cultural and historical presence of Kurdish communities.

Estimates indicate that between 50,000 and 182,000 Kurds perished during the Al-Anfal campaign, a crime for which al-Majid bore direct responsibility.

Role in Suppressing the 1991 Shia Uprising

Beyond the Al-Anfal campaign, Ali Hassan al-Majid's brutal reputation was further solidified by his command in suppressing the Shia uprising in southern Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War. After the expulsion of Iraqi forces from Kuwait, Shia communities in the south rose in rebellion against Saddam Hussein's regime. Al-Majid was deployed to crush this insurgency with extreme prejudice, employing overwhelming force, mass arrests, and summary executions, further cementing his image as one of the regime's most ruthless enforcers.

Capture, Trial, and Execution

Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, Ali Hassan al-Majid became a high-value target for coalition forces. He was captured on 17 August 2003, bringing him to justice for his extensive crimes.

Legal Proceedings and Conviction

Al-Majid was subsequently tried by the Iraqi High Tribunal, a special court established to prosecute members of the former regime. He faced charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, with the primary focus of the trials being his central role in the Al-Anfal campaign.

• First Conviction for Genocide: In June 2007, the Iraqi High Tribunal found Ali Hassan al-Majid guilty of genocide for his role in the Al-Anfal campaign and sentenced him to death. This landmark ruling affirmed the systematic and genocidal nature of the atrocities committed against the Kurds.
• Subsequent Sentences and Appeals: His appeal against this death sentence was rejected on 4 September 2007. Al-Majid faced further trials for other egregious crimes, including his involvement in the brutal suppression of the 1991 Shia uprising, the 1999 crackdown in Sadr City, and the assassinations of religious figures. He received his fourth death sentence on 17 January 2010.

Ali Hassan al-Majid's reign of terror concluded on 25 January 2010, when he was executed by hanging, eight days after receiving his final death sentence. His death brought a sense of closure to the countless victims and their families who suffered under his command.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ali Hassan al-Majid

Who was Ali Hassan al-Majid?

Ali Hassan Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti, commonly known as "Chemical Ali," was a notorious Iraqi politician and military commander, and a first cousin of Saddam Hussein. He held key positions such as Defence Minister and Chief of Intelligence, and was responsible for extreme brutality against internal opposition.

Why was Ali Hassan al-Majid nicknamed "Chemical Ali"?

He earned the nickname "Chemical Ali" due to his direct command and orchestration of chemical weapon attacks, primarily against Kurdish civilians during the Al-Anfal campaign in the late 1980s.

What was the Al-Anfal campaign?

The Al-Anfal campaign (1986-1988) was a genocidal military operation led by Saddam Hussein's regime, with Ali Hassan al-Majid at its helm, targeting the Kurdish population in northern Iraq. It involved chemical attacks, mass killings, forced deportations, and the systematic destruction of villages.

What crimes was Chemical Ali convicted of?

Ali Hassan al-Majid was convicted by the Iraqi High Tribunal of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, predominantly for his central role in the Al-Anfal campaign against the Kurds and the brutal suppression of the 1991 Shia uprising.

When was Ali Hassan al-Majid executed?

Ali Hassan al-Majid was executed by hanging on 25 January 2010, following multiple convictions and death sentences for his crimes by the Iraqi High Tribunal.