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(Baghdad, Iraq-AP) -- Iraq's governing council plans to set up a special court system to try former members of Saddam Hussein's regime.
An Iraqi opposition official says bringing such people to justice is one of the most pressing issues for the new, U-S-backed council.
But an official from Human Rights Watch says the plan is flawed -- possibly allowing former victims to judge their accused captors and tormentors. Instead, the organization says Iraqis should let international experts and independent judges help with the process.
But Iraqi opposition officials say the court system is a high priority because of the nature of the alleged crimes -- including the deaths of hundreds of thousand of people.
Meanwhile, the governing council is also asking U-S authorities for routine updates on the security situation in the country.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
