Saddam Assaulted

It is reported that during interrogation, Saddam Hussein, was assaulted by his interegators.

Saddam was being questioned about the suppression of the 1991 Shiite uprising. He allegedly hurled an obscenity at two of Shiite Islam's holiest figures.

He was asked about the shrines of the imams Hussein and Abbas, that were targeted by government forces seizing back control of Karbala. It is alleged that at first he pretended at first not to know to whom the investigative judges were referring.

He then swore, at which point two of court's clerks taking notes allegedly lunged at him and started pummeling him with blows.

The beating was stopped, only after the chief judge intervened.

Saddam was allegedly left with a minor bruise to the forehead, the US guards posted outside the makeshift courthouse near Baghdad international airport were said to be amused and opted not to intervene.

It seems that Iraq has still some way to go before it rids itself of the brutality, and habit of brutality, of the past.