Saddam lawyers to boycott trial unless demands met

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A senior member of Saddam Hussein’s
defense team said on Sunday lawyers would boycott the next
hearing of the trial unless the chief judge apologized for
expelling one of Saddam’s co-defendants.

Judge Raouf Abdel Rahman ejected Saddam’s former
intelligence chief and half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, after
he refused to keep quiet and called the trial “a daughter of a
whore.”

“Barzan was only explaining the circumstance of his
illness, asking for medical care because he has cancer. Does
that mean he deserves to be expelled?” Khamis al-Aubeide,
deputy chief of Saddam’s team, told Reuters.

Aubeide said the defense team were also protesting the
expulsion of one of their members, Saleh al-Armouti, who he
said was ejected for questioning the legitimacy of the court.

He said Saddam would refuse to attend the next session,
scheduled for either February 1 or February 2, if the defense
team was not present.

Saddam’s chief counsel, Khalil al-Duleimi, confirmed the
defense team was threatening to boycott the next session until
their demands were met.

He told Reuters the lawyers were seeking protection for
themselves and their families. Two defense lawyers have been
murdered since the trial started last October.

The eighth session of Saddam’s trial on charges of crimes
against humanity descended into chaos just minutes after
starting on Sunday, when Saddam and his legal team walked out.

Abdel Rahman is under pressure to stamp his authority on
the court after the government criticized his predecessor, who
resigned two weeks ago, for being too lenient on Saddam, whose
tirades have dominated proceedings.