Saddam’s Death By Hanging

The execution of Saddam Hussein took place on Saturday 30 December 2006. Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging.

He was found guilty and convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for the murder of 148 Iraqi Shi'ite in the town of Dujail in 1982, in retaliation for an assassination attempt against him.

Saddam Hussein was President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 to 9 April 2003 when he was deposed during the 2003 invasion by a U.S.-led allied coalition.

After the capture of Saddam in ad-Dawr, near his hometown Tikrit, he was incarcerated at Camp Cropper. On Sunday 5 November 2006, he was sentenced to death by hanging.

In the hours before the execution, Saddam ate his last meal of chicken and rice with a cup of hot water and honey.

Here's how CBS reported the news of his execution: