Iraq official cleared of genocide

BAGHDAD, March 7 (UPI) -- Iraqi Gen. Wafiq al-Sameraee, a former adviser to Saddam Hussein, was acquitted of genocide charges Friday by the Iraqi Criminal Court in Baghdad.

Sameraee had been accused of involvement in Al-Anfal massacres against Kurds in the 1980s and suppressing a popular uprising in southern Iraq in the 90s.

Iraqi Chief Justice Adnan al-Budairi ruled the general was innocent for lack of evidence, KUNA reported.

The veteran military official had been in charge of the military intelligence during the Saddam regime. He joined the opposition in the closing years of the regime.