Chemical Ali's Supplier On Trial

Dutchman Frans van Anraat is on trial for supplying Iraq with the chemicals used in its chemical weapons program, including those used in Saddam's attack on the Kurdish village of Halabjah, which killed more than 5,000 people.

"The images of the gas attack on the Kurdish city Halabja were a shock. But I did not give the order to do that," van Anraat is quoted in a BBC article.

No, he did not give the order, but like BASF might say, he made the order possible. If there is any doubt, consider this:

After his arrest in 1989, he was freed on bail. Where did he immediately take off to? Iraq.

According to BBC:

Evidence being used by prosecutors includes information obtained from the former head of Iraq's chemical weapons programme, Ali Hassan al-Majid, otherwise known as Chemical Ali.

He is being tried in the war crimes court in the Hague, which means it will probably be a protracted affair, with a good chance of a conviction.