Iraq Watch
Events in the life of Saddam Hussein
By Associated Press
Dec 29, 2006, 17:57

A glance at the life of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein:

April 28, 1937 — Born in village near Tikrit, north of Baghdad.

1957 — Joins underground Baath Socialist Party.

1958 — Arrested for killing his brother-in-law, a Communist. Spends six months in prison.

Oct. 7, 1959 — On Baath assassination team that ambushes Iraqi strongman Gen. Abdel-Karim Kassem in Baghdad, wounding him. Saddam, wounded in leg, flees to Syria then Egypt.

Feb. 8, 1963 — Returns after Baath takes part in coup that overthrows and kills Kassem.

July 30, 1968 — Becomes chief of internal security under President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, his cousin.

July 16, 1979 — Takes over as president from al-Bakr, launches major purge of Baath members.

Sept. 22, 1980 — Sends troops into Iran; war lasts eight years.

March 28, 1988 — Uses chemical weapons against Kurdish town of Halabja, killing estimated 5,000 civilians.

Aug. 2, 1990 — Invades Kuwait, but sees his army driven out by U.S.-led coalition five months later.

Feb. 20, 1996 — Orders killing of two sons-in-law who had defected to Jordan but returned to Baghdad after receiving guarantees of safety.

Nov. 27, 2002 — Under U.N. threat of "serious consequences," allows U.N. weapons experts back into Iraq.

March 17, 2003 — Gets 48-hour deadline from President Bush to give up power and leave Iraq. War begins three days later, chasing him from Baghdad on April 9.

July 22, 2003 — His sons, Qusai and Odai, killed in gunbattle with American soldiers.

Dec. 13, 2003 — Captured while hiding in hole in ground near Tikrit.

July 1, 2004 — Arraigned before judge, rejects charges of war crimes and genocide.

Oct. 19, 2005 — Goes on trial with seven co-defendants charged in 1982 killings of 148 Shiite Muslims, stemming from attempt to assassinate him in Dujail.

March 1, 2006 — Admits ordering trial of 148 Shiites eventually executed, but insists doing so was legal.

April 4, 2006 — Faces new criminal charges, for second trial with six others, in connection with brutal 1987-88 crackdown on Kurds in northern Iraq.

June 19, 2006 — Hears prosecution demand death penalty in closing arguments at Dujail trial, saying he showed "no mercy" in the killings of women and children.

Aug. 21, 2006 — At opening of second trial, shouts at prosecutors and refuses to enter plea to charges of genocide and war crimes.

Nov. 5, 2006 — Trembles but remains defiant as tribunal in first trial announces guilty verdict and sentences him to hang.

Dec. 26, 2006 — Iraq's highest court rejects appeal of conviction, saying Saddam must be hanged within 30 days.