Ann Clwyd MP talks to BBC News Online

Ann Clwyd MP, who chairs the group Indict, said the move would increase awareness of crimes against humanity and could lead to prosecutions.

"The idea is to bring home to the public throughout the world the atrocities of Saddam Hussein and his closest associates.

"We've been encourage by the setting up of the international criminal court, which I'm glad to say the UK ratified yesterday.

"It will ensure the likes of Pol Pot and Saddam Hussein do not go unpunished. But Pol Pot and his regime are gone now. In Iraq, terror remains a daily hallmark of life."

The 12 men named by Indict are all serving or former members of President Saddam's regime. Many are also part of his close family.

Ann Clwyd: "Bring home the atrocities carried out by Saddam Hussein and his associates"

Indict began its campaign to bring charges against President Saddam and his associates with support from many of Europe's leaders.

Since then, it has won $3m in funding from the US Congress, which has enabled it to set up an office in London and increase its activities.

Ms Clwyd admits any realistic prospect of trying President Saddam would depend on him losing power.

But she insists the list is more than the ultimate in naming and shaming and says the recent return of Barzan Al-Tikriti to the Middle East, proves those identified take the prospect seriously.

Mr al-Tikriti, the former Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations and a half-brother of President Saddam, was until recently based in Geneva.

Barzan Al-Tikriti: Fled from Geneva when his diplomatic immunity expired

He left for Iraq at the weekend - despite an apparent rift with the eldest son of President Saddam, Uday - after Indict contacted its lawyers to start proceedings against him.

The group believes this is evidence of the impact it can have, but says it will not now stop pursuing people just because it will be difficult.

"Indicting Saddam Hussein is not an easy task but we believe our campaign provides the missing link between the international court, which won't be retrospective when it starts, and the ad hoc tribunals set up for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda."

Ms Clwyd said the campaign had received a boost from the recent Law Lords ruling that Chile's General Pinochet was not immune from prosecution, but had not direct links to that case.

Ahmad Chalabi, president of the opposition Iraqi National Congress, is backing the latest phase of the Indict campaign.

"The catalogue of horrors that is Saddam's record makes it absolutely imperative for the international community to support the campaign to bring him and his cohorts to justice.

"Indict is not only necessary for bringing these people to justice, but the healing process that must take place.