Saddam Hussein's lawyers walked out of his trial in Baghdad today to protest at the replacement of the chief judge for allegedly favouring the defence.

The chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial was replaced today amid complaints from Shiite and Kurdish officials that he was too soft on the former Iraqi leader, a move that could raise accusations of government interference in the highly sensitive case.

THE chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial has been replaced, it was reported yesterday.

Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial resumed in Iraq today, four days after the chief judge told the ex-president that “you were not a dictator", sparking Kurdish demands he be replaced.

THE chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial in Iraq said yesterday that he did not believe the former Iraqi leader was a dictator.

The chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial in Iraq said today that he did not believe the former Iraqi leader was a dictator.

The chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s trial today brushed aside prosecution demands to step down for letting the ex-president make political statements, as more witnesses told of chemical attacks against Kurds – a charge for which the ex-president could receive a death sentence.

The chief prosecutor in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial against the Kurds today demanded the presiding judge step down, accusing him of being biased toward the deposed leader and his co-defendants.

Ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein today thundered out against ”agents of Iran and Zionism” and vowed to “crush your heads” after listening to Kurdish witnesses at his genocide trial tell of atrocities against them nearly two decades ago.

A Kurdish woman described huddling with her children in a cave as warplanes bombarded her village with chemical weapons in testimony today at the Baghdad genocide trial of Saddam Hussein.

Saddam Hussein opened his second Baghdad trial with a show of defiance today, refusing to enter a plea on charges of genocide and war crimes connected to his scorched-earth offensive against Kurds nearly two decades ago.

The second trial of Saddam Hussein began today, opening a new legal chapter for the ousted Iraqi leader, who is charged with genocide and war crimes from his scorched-earth offensive against Kurds nearly two decades ago.

An Iraqi tribunal is incapable of fairly and effectively trying Saddam Hussein and six others on genocide charges for their role in the killing of an estimated 100,000 Kurds in the 1980s, a major human rights group said today.