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Saddam trial: Hunger strike, trial
adjourned until 28.Feb
14.2.2006
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BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb 14, - Saddam Hussein told the
court during the latest session of his trial Tuesday
that he was on hunger strike to protest tough
stances by the chief judge.
The former Iraqi leader shouted his support for
Iraqi insurgents, yelling "Long live the mujahedeen,"
as he entered the courtroom and immediately began a
heated exchange with judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman.
"For three days we have been holding a hunger strike
protesting against your way in treating us --
against you and your masters," Saddam told
Abdel-Rahman.
In Monday's session, Abdel-Rahman ordered the eight
defendants to attend the court despite a boycott by
their original defense team.
When Abdel-Rahman banged his gavel and rebuked him
for not standing when he addressed the court, Saddam
retorted: "Hit your own head with that gavel."
One of the co-defendants, Awad Hamed al-Bandar, also
said he was not eating. Saddam did not mention a
hunger strike in Monday's session.
Saddam's half-brother and co-defendant Barzan
Ibrahim entered the court Tuesday shouting "Long
live the Baath," referring to Saddam's former ruling
party. For the second straight day, the former head
of Saddam's intelligence service wore a long-sleeved
undershirt and long underwear to show his rejection
of the court.
When Abdel-Rahman told him to "Shut up," Ibrahim
replied, "Don't tell me to shut up. I am a person
like you -- even better than you."
Calm was quickly restored, however, and the court
began hearing the day's first prosecution witness --
a former intelligence official who testified from
behind a curtain to maintain his anonymity.
Saddam and his seven co-defendants are on trial in
the killing of nearly 150 Shiite Muslims during a
1982 crackdown in Dujail following an attempt on
Saddam's life. If convicted, they could face the
death penalty by hanging.
On Monday, the prosecution made its strongest
attempt yet to link Saddam personally to the
slayings, producing execution orders with his
signatures and putting members of his regime on the
witness stand for the first time. |
Chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman presides over the
trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and
seven co-defendants
Photo: AP
Former dictator Saddam Hussein
Photo : AFP
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The prosecution intended to call more regime figures
Tuesday -- including Fadel Mohammed, an intelligence
official, and Hamed Youssef Hamadi, who was a
minister of culture under Saddam, in addition to the
anonymous intelligence official.
Twenty-six prosecution witnesses have testified
since the trial began Oct. 19, many providing
accounts of torture and imprisonment in the
crackdown, but they could not directly pin them on
Saddam.
The Iraqi judge presiding over the trial of Saddam
Hussein adjourned proceedings on Tuesday until Feb.
28.
AP
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