Trial takes break after Saddam no-show
After hearing from two witnesses, Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin adjourned the proceedings and said the Baghdad court would convene again on December 21 following national elections late next week.
Saddam's lawyers said the deposed Iraqi leader failed to show up as a protest at what they termed mistreatment of him and his seven co-defendants in detention.
Saddam "pointed out that the defendants had been mistreated, not allowed private meetings with their counsel, denied time and facilities to prepare their defence, denied access to the evidence, and denied the 'equality of arms' because the prosecution had almost unlimited resources at its disposal," the lawyers said in a written statement.
The lawyers also said Saddam asserts that the Iraqi court where he is being tried was "illegal" and that it will not give him a fair trial. The defence repeatedly has argued that the Higher Iraqi Tribunal is not legitimate because it was formed under US occupation.
"President Saddam Hussein refused to attend the sessions of the extraordinary court that was created by the United States government as the occupying power of Iraq claiming that the Court is illegal and can not provide a fair trial," the statement said.
Saddam made good on a promise made yesterday not to take part in what he called an "unjust" court.
The other defendants and Saddam's lawyers were present in the courtroom when Amin convened the session at 3pm, about four hours late. Amin said the court would inform Saddam about or brief him on the proceedings that took place during his absence.
The judge then told defence lawyers "the court will meet with the defence lawyers after today's hearing to discuss the security of the lawyers," which has become a major issue after two members of the defence team were murdered.
Saddam and the others are charged in the deaths of more than 140 Shi'ite Muslims in retaliation for an assassination attempt against him in the town of Dujail in 1982. Saddam accused Iran of ordering the attempt on his life.
After the session convened, a male witness testified behind a beige curtain to conceal his identity. The witness, whose name was not released, said he was arrested after the assassination attempt and taken to Ba'ath party headquarters, where he found people "screaming because of the beatings." The witness said Saddam's half brother and co-defendant Barazan Ibrahim was present.
"When my turn came, the investigator asked me my name and he turned to Barazan and asked him 'what we shall do with him?' Barazan replied: 'Take him. He might be useful.' We were almost dead because of the beatings."
Under questioning by the judge, however, the witness said he was blindfolded at the time and thought it was Ibrahim speaking because other prisoners told him so.
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