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Trial resumes with tirades, expulsions

BAGHDAD - A new judge cracked down Sunday in a chaotic session of Saddam Hussein's trial, ordering a co-defendant and a lawyer expelled from the courtroom. The entire defense team left in protest and Hussein was escorted out after a shouting match in which he yelled, "Down with America!"

Despite the turmoil, chief Judge Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman pushed ahead, replacing the defense lawyers with court-appointed attorneys and hearing three prosecution witnesses before adjourning until Wednesday or Thursday, depending on when the Islamic New Year's holiday falls.

It was Abdel-Rahman's first session at the helm, replacing a jurist who stepped down amid criticism that he was not doing enough to stop Hussein and his half brother, co-defendant Barzan Ibrahim, from dominating the trial with frequent outbursts and disruptions.

Defense lawyers criticized the tough approach, saying it was preventing Hussein and his seven co-defendants from getting a fair trial. The eight could face death by hanging if convicted in the killing of at least 140 Shiites after a July 1982 attempt on Hussein's life in Dujail.

Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who is part of Hussein's defense team but did not attend Sunday's session, repeated calls for it to be moved out of Iraq.

"Now the court is seated without the defendants' counsel of choice. This is wrong," Clark said, speaking from New York.

The session, which was the first since Dec. 22, rapidly degenerated into chaos. Ibrahim called the court "the daughter of a whore" and refused to sit down. Abdel-Rahman ordered him removed, and Ibrahim scuffled with two guards before they dragged him out.

Then defense lawyer Salih al-Armouti, a Jordanian, was forcibly removed from the court for yelling at Abdel-Rahman.

The entire defense team left in protest. "This is an unjust and illegitimate court," said Khalil al-Dulaimi, Hussein's chief lawyer.

Protesting Ibrahim's expulsion and shouting "down with traitors" and "down with America," Hussein got into a heated argument with the judge, rejecting the court-appointed lawyers and demanding to leave.

When the judge ordered guards to remove him, Hussein - holding a Koran under his arm - became indignant, saying he was choosing to go and referring to his time in power.

"For 35 years I led you, and you say, "Eject him?"' Hussein said.

"I am a judge and you are a defendant," Abdel-Rahman replied. "And you have violated order in the court. I am implementing the law."

After two more defendants asked to leave, the trial continued - with only four defendants present and none of their original lawyers.

The court-appointed lawyers declined to cross-examine the three unidentified witnesses, who all spoke of mass detentions and torture after the attempt on Hussein's life.

[Last modified January 30, 2006, 00:33:11]