BAGHDAD, Feb 13: Ousted Iraqi presaident Saddam Hussein angrily sparred with the judge during his trial on charges of crimes against humanity Monday, saying he had been dragged back to court against his wishes after boycotting the last hearings.
“Down with traitors, down with Bush,” roared Saddam as he arrived under tight security in the Baghdad courtroom for the first time since January 29.
The trial of Saddam and seven co-defendants, which has frequently descended into chaos since it opened in October, was adjourned until Tuesday after less than three hours.
“I was forced into the courtroom,” Saddam told chief judge Rauf Rasheed Abdel Rahman, whose tough handling of the trial had triggered a boycott by all defendants of the last hearing on Feb 2.
“This is not a court this is a game,” said Saddam pounding on a podium in the dock and wearing a robe and heavy jacket rather than his usual smart suit.
“Shame on you Rauf, you are insignificant,” he shouted at the judge, accusing him of being “ignorant of the law” and implementing “American law”.
Abdel Rahman, who took over as chief judge only last month after the resignation of his precedessor, banged his gavel on several occasions as he sought to silence Saddam’s efforts to discredit the tribunal.
The Kurdish judge warned the former dictator he would not be permitted to boycott the trial.
During the tumultuous session, two former aides to Saddam complained they too were forced to testify against their will.
The eight defendants face the death penalty if convicted on charges including murder and torture over the massacre of more than 140 Shiites after an attempt on Saddam’s life in 1982 in the town of Dujail. They have all pleaded not guilty.
The defendants have court-appointed lawyers after the defense team walked out of the January 29 session in protest at the judge’s expulsion of Barzan al-Tikriti, Saddam’s half-brother and former secret police chief.
The visibly-annoyed Kurdish judge made clear his patience had run out and cut Saddam off when the 68-year-old asked for another chance to speak.
“I’ve given you enough chances,” Abdel Rahman retorted, amid repeated insults by Saddam, who shouted: “God damn your moustaches,” a slur meant to denigrate the judge’s manhood.
Barzan also frequently interrupted the session as guards were seen pushing him down into his seat in the dock.
“You are a military judge,” shouted Barzan, bare-headed and clad in a white undershirt instead of his usual traditional Arab headdress and gown.
After being cut him several times, Barzan sat with his back defiantly to the judge for much of the session. During witness testimony, however, he returned to arguing with the judge and frequently had to be disciplined.
Saddam’s lead defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said the trial had turned into a “farce” and that his client was tricked into making the court appearance on Monday.
“The president (Saddam) and his senior aides were brought to court by force. They were tricked and when they entered the courtroom the doors were closed and they were prevented from leaving,” Dulaimi told AFP in a telephone interview from Amman.
Ahead of Monday’s session, Dulaimi said the defense team had a number of conditions for its return.
Then Saddam’s former chief of staff Ahmed Hussein Khudeir was brought to the witness stand, complaining bitterly that he too had been coerced.
“I won’t testify against my president,” he said, adding that he only heard about the Dujail events from the BBC and he could not remember any details.
Lawyer: Saddam Hussein’s chief defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said the trial of the former dictator had turned into a “farce” and that his client was tricked into making a court appearance on Monday.
“What happened today in court is a farce,” Dulaimi told AFP in a telephone interview in Amman.
“The president (Saddam) and his senior aides were brought to court by force. They were tricked and when they entered the courtroom the doors were closed and they were prevented from leaving,” Dulaimi said.
“This is contrary to the law and contrary to human rights,” Dulaimi.
The attorney said the former president remained in high spirits but a “hostage to occupation” in reference to the US and British troops deployed in Iraq.
“The president is a prisoner of war and must be set free so that the Iraqi people decide his fate,” Dulaimi said.
“The Iraqi people alone have the right to choose their leader not the invaders like the British dogs whom we saw yesterday torturing children without mercy,” Dulaimi said.—Reuters
