Saddam Hussein's trial again collapsed into chaos after resuming briefly today.
The new chief judge in the trial, Raouf Abdel-Rahman, tried to bring control to the chaos but failed.
An anonymous female prosecution witness began to give testimony from behind a curtain.
Then, 15 minutes of the session's start, Saddam's co-defendant Barzan Ibrahim stood and asked to address the court.
Ibrahim called the court "the daughter of a whore."
At this point the censor intervened, and the delayed television feed showing the proceedings was cut off.
The judge ordered Ibrahim to sit down, shouting:
"One more word and I'm throwing you out."
Ibrahim refused to sit, and two guards grabbed him by the arms and after some pushing and shoving, dragged him out of the court.
As the fight went on, Saddam stood and shouted:
"Down with the traitors. Down with America."
The defence lawyers then joined in, and began shouting as well.
Abdel-Rahman asked:
"Is this a street demonstration, are you lawyers?"
The judge asked the Jordanian defence lawyer, Salih al-Armouti:
"Can you do this in your own courts in your country?"
Al-Armouti replied:
"My country gives me my rights."
Abdel-Rahman ordered al-Armouti to be removed from court, saying:
"You have incited your clients and we will start criminal proceedings against you."
The rest of the defence team then walked out.
Saddam then stood and said that he too wanted to leave the court.
Abdel-Rahman said:
"You do not leave, I allow you to leave when I want to".
Saddam replied:
"I was the president for 35 years."
The judge retorted:
"I am the judge and you are the defendant."
Two guards then pushed Saddam into his chair, but then the judge ordered them to take him out of the room.
Abdel-Rahman had been brought in to impose control on a trial, yet if today's disaster is anything to go by he is failing miserably.
Saddam's defence team said that they will file motions questioning the court's independence and legitimacy because of the shake-up among the judges.
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