Saddam Hussein was the fifth president of Iraq, ruling from 1979 until his overthrow and capture by a U.S.-led coalition in 2003.
He was a member of the Ba'ath Party and a leading figure in the 1968 coup that brought the party to power.
Hussein was a controversial figure, known for his brutal rule and his human rights abuses.
He was also responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, including the Kurds and the Marsh Arabs.