Saddam Refuses To Play Ball

The trial of Saddam Hussein has resumed, and true to form he has played to the gallery.

When the detailed charges were presented to Saddam, he refused to enter a plea and said:

"This is no way to treat the president of Iraq".

The Iraqi trial system allows the prosecution to outline its case first, which has happened, then the judge decides on the specific charges before the defence is allowed to present its case.

Chief Judge Raouf Abdul Rahman read out the charges:

"After allegations of coming under an assassination attempt, you issued orders to security forces and the army to arrest residents and use all weapons against them.

As a result for your orders to use force against Dujail residents, nine people were killed in the first two days...and 399 others were arrested."

Saddam retorted:

"I can't just say yes or no to this. You read all this for the sake of public consumption, and I can't answer it in brief.

You are before Saddam Hussein, president of Iraq. I am the president of Iraq according to the will of the Iraqis and I am still the president up to this moment."

The judge ordered that it be recorded that Saddam Hussein had denied the charges, and read out charges against the other defendants

Barzan al-Tikriti, Saddam's half brother and former head of the intelligence service, said:

"All you said are lies, everything you mentioned is a lie."

The defence is expected to take a month, unless there are delays and disruptions to the proceedings.