Malaysia hosts symbolic trial against Bush, Blair

Malaysian-led activists plan to hold a symbolic trial this month against former President George W. Bush and British ex-leader Tony Blair on charges of committing crimes against peace in the Iraq war.

The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal is an initiative of Malaysia's retired Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who staunchly opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Malaysian lawyer Yaacob Hussain Marican says the tribunal will convene a four-day hearing starting Saturday to determine whether Bush and Blair committed crimes against peace and violated international law in the Iraq invasion.

Yaacob said Tuesday the effort is modeled after a 1967 Vietnam war crimes panel convened by philosophers Bertrand Russell and Jean-Paul Sartre.

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