London: The British government on December 3 released a dossier of Human Rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the Iraqi regime, including systematic torture of political opponents and citizens to cling on to power.

The dossier said Iraq "is a terrifying place to live. Torture is systematic in Iraq. The most senior figures in the regime are personally involved."

The report concludes by describing the Iraqi leader as "ruthless". "A cruel and callous disregard for human life and suffering remains the hallmark of his regime," it says.

"The report is needed to help people understand the comprehensive evil that is Saddam Hussein," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said while releasing the 25- page government report.

"We are publishing this because it is important that people understand the comprehensive evil that is Saddam Hussein," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"He has got these weapons of mass destruction, chemical, biological and probably nuclear weapons which he has used in the past against his own people as well as his neighbours and could almost certainly use again in the future.

"In addition to that, there's the systematic terror which is perpetrated by Saddam on a daily basis against his own people, which is why there is this most unusual and outrageous political system, which simply goes back to one person.

"The only person worth dealing with is Saddam, because everybody else, including his own Cabinet, are in mortal fear," he said.

PTI