Judge Closes Saddam Trial After “Political” Speech
The chief judge in the trial of Saddam Hussein has barred journalists from the courtroom, after a heated exchange with the former Iraqi leader minutes after he began testifying.
Saddam took the stand Wednesday in Baghdad, and immediately called the tribunal a “comedy.” He then launched into an address that the judge called a political speech and urged him to stop.
The defendant continued, insisting that he is still the president of Iraq. But the judge reminded Saddam that he is now a defendant and no longer the president. Then, the judge closed the proceedings to the media.
Saddam’s appearance comes two weeks after he admitted giving orders that led to the killing of 148 Shi’ite males in the Iraqi village of Dujail in 1982. He said the orders were legal, and that a judge had found all of the executed guilty in a failed assassination attempt against him.
Saddam and his seven co-defendants face death by hanging if found guilty of the killings.
Earlier Wednesday, Saddam’s half-brother, the former head of Iraq’s intelligence, denied any role in the killings. Barzan al-Tikriti said he did not order any detentions and only visited the village twice.
In previous court sessions, prosecution witnesses have testified that Barzan oversaw the arrest of suspects in a government crackdown on villagers after the assassination attempt.
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