Saddam Trial Chaos As Judge Lays Down Law

A TOUGH new chief judge cracked down on chaos in a session of Saddam Hussein’s trial, forcibly expelling a defendant and a defence lawyer.

The defence team walked out in protest and Saddam was removed after shouting: “Down with America” and arguing with the judge.

Despite the turmoil, chief judge Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman pushed ahead with the proceedings, replacing the defence lawyers with court-appointed lawyers, hearing three prosecution witnesses and insisting the trial would go on.

It was Abdel-Rahman’s first session at the helm, replacing a jurist who stepped down amid criticism he was not doing enough to stop Saddam and his half-brother, co-defendant Barzan Ibrahim, dominating the trial with frequent outbursts and disruptions.

Defence lawyers condemned his tough approach, saying it was preventing Saddam and his co-defendants from getting a fair trial.

Former US attorney general Ramsey Clark, part of Saddam’s defence team but not at today’s session, denounced the court as “lawless” and called for it to be moved out of Iraq.

“Now the court is seated without the defendants’ counsel of choice. This is wrong,” Clark said in New York.