Absent Saddam defies court with empty chair

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Saddam Hussein boycotted his own trial
in Baghdad on Wednesday, causing hours of chaotic delay before
the court resumed with the former Iraqi president’s chair
empty.

His lead counsel told the judge Saddam, who had ended
Tuesday’s fourth session by telling his judges to ‘Go to hell’,
would be absent; the judge called the first witness of the day.

Saddam’s attorney, Khalil al-Dulaimi, also said he would
meet court officials after the day’s hearings to discuss
security for his team, following the killings of two defense
attorneys after the trial opened on October 19.

Saddam’s place at the front of the penned-in dock, where he
sits with seven other defendants charged with crimes against
humanity, was conspicuously vacant.

Defense lawyers had spent the morning in discussions with
judges and the 68-year-old ousted strongman about what to do
next, a source in the heavily fortified Baghdad courthouse
said.

Saddam had said on Tuesday he would not attend an “illegal”
trial. He has repeatedly said the trial is a U.S.-staged sham
and has berated the presiding judge and chief prosecutor.

Court officials say that in principle the trial can go
ahead without the defendants present, but the court source said
the chief judge was keen for Saddam to appear.

A week before Iraqis vote for their first, full-term
parliament since U.S. forces overthrew Saddam in 2003, the
government led by his Shi’ite Islamist enemies has been keen to
show their long-time tormentor is facing Iraqi justice.

On Tuesday, Saddam had also complained that he had not been
allowed to shower or change his shirt and underwear for days,
and asked the judge if he was trying to exhaust the defendants.

Wednesday’s hearing was due to be the fifth session in the
trial of Saddam and seven co-defendants accused over the
killing of 148 people in Dujail after a 1982 attempt to
assassinate the former president in the Shi’ite Muslim village
north of Baghdad.