The ongoing farce that is the trial of Saddam Hussein continued today, as the defence team walked out of court.
They were protesting about the fact that the presiding judge, Rizkar Mohammed Amin, refused to let former US attorney general Ramsey Clark and former Qatari justice minister Naji Nuaimi speak at the trial.
Amin said:
"Make a written request".
Clark responded:
"I just want two minutes".
The defence team then threatened to leave court, prompting Amin to say:
"As you like. Then we will have to appoint other lawyers."
Saddam at this point refused to have lawyers appointed by the court, and shouted:
"Long live Iraq. Long live the Arab nation. Long live Iraq."
Nuaimi said the court's refusal to hear the lawyers' request was "a violation of the rights of the defence", he noted that the court should examine its own legitimacy before proceeding with the trial.
Amin instructed that the defence should send him a written memo, covering any questions that they may have about the court's legitimacy, he promised to provide a written reply.
The trial is now suspended, to allow the defence to consider their next action.
I wonder if this trial could be handled any less well?
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