Saddam trial resumes without any defendants

Saddam Hussein’s trial resumed in Baghdad today without any of the eight defendants in the courtroom.

The former Iraqi leader and four other defendants boycotted, and the chief judge said he barred the remainder for “disorderly behaviour”.

Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman announced at the start of the session – which started more than an 90 minutes late – that the three defendants had caused “chaos” outside the courtroom.

With the eight defendant chairs empty in a pen in front of the bench, Abdel-Rahman ordered the proceedings to continue and the court began hearing the day’s first witness.