In 2003 , a coalition led by the United States invaded Iraq to depose Saddam , in which U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair falsely accused him of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having ties to al-Qaeda . Saddam 's Ba'ath party was disbanded and elections were held . Following his capture on 13 December 2003 , the trial of Saddam took place under the Iraqi Interim Government . On 5 November 2006 , Saddam was convicted by an Iraqi court of crimes against humanity related to the 1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi'a , and sentenced to death by hanging . He was executed on 30 December 2006
1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi'a
Dujail Massacre
Saddam Hussein