The government-financed al-Sabah daily quoted unidentified sources close to a special court hearing Saddam's case that the verdict will be issued in the next three weeks against the former leader and his top former aides.

The sources said they expected the first death penalty against the former regime officials to be handed to Saddam after the special court convicts him on 12 charges of crimes against humanity.

The court last week completed its questioning of Saddam over his role in the alleged killing of 150 residents from al-Dujail by the security forces of his regime after a foiled assassination attempt against Saddam in the area in 1992.