Witness From Beyond The Grave

The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed yesterday, needless to say the Saddam could not resist a touch of bravado.

Saddam berated Rizgar Amin, the presiding judge, over his (Saddam's) alleged ill-treatment at the hands of guards.

Ramsey Clark, a former US Attorney-General, attended the trial in order to ensure that there's fair play.

Quote:

"My plan is to go to the court in Baghdad Monday morning, representing the Defence Counsel in this particular situation, who are threatened with death".

Clark wants the trial to be held outwith Iraq.

Before proceedings could get underway, Saddam lectured the court about the invasion; quote:

"They are in our country. You, you have the authority. You have sovereignty, you are Iraqi and they are westerners and they are invaders and occupiers."

He also had a complaint about the fact that the broken elevator, in the court, had meant that he had to walk up four flights of stairs.

Saddam was also miffed at having his pen and paper taken away by the guards, the judge ordered that he be given something to write with.

Judge Amin called on the prosecution to present its case against. The first trial relates to the 1982 massacre of more than 140 Shi'ites in the village of Dujail, allegedly murdered in response to a botched assassination attempt on Saddam.

The first prosecution witness, Waddah al-Sheikh a senior Iraqi intelligence officer, spoke from a pre recorded video tape; as he had died in hospital from cancer.

Al-Sheikh described how more than 400 men, women and children from Dujail, were rounded in response to gunmen opening fire on Saddam's motorcade.

Quote:

"And I was confident through the interrogation that those who shot at the motorcade were no more than 12 people, and I don't know why they arrested that large number of citizens and I had no role in the arrest. "

The other 35 living witnesses will give testimony from behind a curtain, in order to protect them from assassination. It should be noted that the Chief Judge has also received death threats.

The trial has been adjourned until next week.

Saddam Hussein's Trial Resumes

The trial of Saddam Hussein has resumed today, amidst tight security.

He, and seven henchmen, are facing charges of murder and torture.

To date, two defence lawyers have been murdered; and the chief investigator and many witnesses have received death threats.

The trial is taking place in Baghdad's "green zone".

The trial began on October 19, and was adjourned for 40 days in order to give the defence more time to prepare.

Saddam has pleaded "not guilty", if he is found guilty he faces the death penalty.

Saddam's Uniform For Sale

Those of you with a penchant for collecting uniforms and military memorabilia, may find one of the items for sale at Manion's International Auction House to be of interest.

It is a dress uniform owned by Saddam Hussein.

The uniform will be placed in the company's "gold auction".

John Conway, a representative for Manion's Auction, said:

"This is the second Hussein uniform we have presented for auction since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The first was brought back by an Army NCO and sold for $24K."

The uniform was obtained by an army sergeant, during the first night that US troops gained control of Baghdad International Airport. The uniform was taken from a tailor shop, and was among many suits and outfits designed for Hussein.

The company will donate a percentage of the commission from this uniform to a charitable concern.

Court TV

Court TV will offer an online coverage of Saddam Hussein's trial when it resumes next Monday.

It is scheduled to air from roughly 0900 to 1400 GMT, with on-demand highlight clips also available.

Genocide Trial

Frans van Anraat, a Dutchman, will go on trial on Monday on charges of complicity in genocide.

He is accused of supplying the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein with chemicals used in attacks on Kurdish villages in the 1980s.

He claims that the supplies were legitimate business deals.

It is alleged that the gas was used in attacks on the villages of Halabja, Goptata, Birjinni and Zewa. The Dutch prosecutors claim that these attacks were intended to wipe out the ethnic Kurdish population, in whole or in part, and constitute genocide.

A verdict is expected in late December.

Van Anraat once topped the CIA's most wanted list, and was detained at the request of the US in Italy in 1989. He was released by an Italian judge who ruled the charges were politically motivated.

Saddam Assault Denied

The claim that Saddam Hussein was punched several times, by court officials, after he cursed two Shi'ite Islam saints has been denied by the court officials.

The chief prosecutor, Jaafar al-Mousawi, is quoted as saying:

"No one in the court attacked Saddam or punished him, and we will never allow anyone in the court to harm any of the defendants, whether it is Saddam or someone else..."

Saddam's lawyers have yet to comment on this counterclaim.

Saddam's Nephew Wanted

The Iraqi Attorney General, Chathanfar Hmod Al-Jasim, has presented Interpol with an extradition request to bring Omar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's nephew, back from Yemen to Baghdad.

The Iraqi's want him to stand trial for "committing acts of terror".

Omar Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti is alleged to have played a leading role, and to have provided financial support, to terrorist organisations.

The Iraqi government said:

"His efforts resulted in many deaths, injuries and destruction of property"

Omar's father, Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan Al-Tikriti, former director of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, is awaiting trial for committing crimes against humanity.

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.

Saddam's Trial Still On

Saddam Hussein's trial will be restarted on schedule, on the 28th of November, despite the murder of two of his defence team.

Raid Juhi, one of the judges on the special tribunal trying Saddam, says that the court is ready to appoint a new team if lawyers fail to appear.

This may well be necessary, as Saddam's team have already said that they will withdraw due to inadequate protection.

Juhi is quoted as saying:

"We have many legal experts and lawyers, and (the court) will choose from among them".

Saddam's Aide Reported Dead

A Ba'ath party website has stated that Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the deputy of Saddam Hussein is dead.

The statement on the website said:

"On the soil of Arabic Iraq, the soul of Comrade Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri returned to God the Creator on Friday at dawn."

Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri was 61 years old, and was deputy chief of the Iraqi armed forces; he was reportedly one of Saddam's most trusted confidants.

Ibrahim was the most senior member of the former regime still at large, and his whereabouts were unknown.

The US military had put a $10M reward on his head.