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Judge Rizgar Amin happy to have quit from
Saddam Trial
30.1.2006
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SULAIMANIYAH,
Kurdistan-Iraq (AP) - The former chief judge who
stepped down from the Saddam Hussein case said
Sunday that he was pleased to no longer be involved
in the troubled trial and wanted an Iraqi Shiite to
take control of the proceedings.
"I am happy that I am no longer part of this trail.
I am happy to watch it on television while sitting
in my house," Rizgar Mohammed Amin said from his
home in the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah, 260
kilometers (160 miles) northeast of Baghdad.
Amin, who was replaced by fellow Kurd Raouf
Abdel-Rahman as chief judge cited health reasons for
his decision.
But politicians, mostly Shiites, had complained
about the slow pace of the proceedings and Amin's
patience in the face of frequent outbursts by
Hussein and one of his co-defendants, Barzan Hassan.
Abdel-Rahman, however, adopted a more combative
approach when the trial resumed Sunday, ordering
Saddam's co-defendant Barzan Hassan and a defense
lawyer out of the court, moves that were followed by
the former Iraqi president's own walkout.
The new judge's appointment was a surprise to many
as Amin's deputy, Saeed al-Hammash, had been
expected to take over as chief judge but was moved
off the case after allegations he once was a member
of Hussein's Baath party. Al-Hammash, a Shiite,
denied Baath membership and maintained he was the
victim of a conspiracy.
Amin made no direct reference to either Abdel-Rahman
or al-Hammash, but said he wished a Shiite would
take charge of the trial so he could see how they
would control the often chaotic proceedings.
"I wish that the trial was run by a Shiite judge
because I want to know how they are going to manage
it," he said. |
Former Chief
judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin, a Kurd from Sulaimaniyah
city
Photo: Reuters
Former dictator Saddam Hussein
Photo : AFP
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Since opening on October 19 and sitting just seven
times previously, the trial has been marred by
repeated courtroom outbursts by Hussein and his
fellow co-defendants, the killings of two defense
lawyers, stepping down of another judge and intense
public scrutiny.
AP
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