Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein will be charged by the Special Iraqi Tribunal on Thursday, a day after transferring into Iraqi legal custody, local TV al-Iraqia said.  

A government spokesman was quoted as saying, "Saddam Hussein will receive in his place of detention a letter detailing the accusations against him. On Thursday, he will be taken under escort and the judge will read him the accusations before charging him.

"Saddam is expected to be charged the crimes against humanity, including the 1988 chemical weapons massacre of Kurds in Halabja, the slaughter of Shiites during a 1991 uprising in southern Iraq, the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2004)