New Iraqi judge takes charge of Saddam trial

A new judge will take charge temporarily of the tribunal trying Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants in the 1982 massacre of more than 140 Shiites, an Iraqi official said Monday.

Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman, a Kurd, will replace existing chief judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin, who submitted a letter of resignation on January 15 amid complaints of government criticism in the trial, said Raid Juhi, the chief investigator who prepared evidence for the Dujail case.