Punches thrown in Saddam trial
2006-10-10 13:40
Baghdad - The judge at Saddam Hussein's genocide trial expelled the ousted Iraqi leader from court on Tuesday and ordered the hearing to continue behind closed doors after an altercation between the two men.
Judge Mohammed al-Oreibi al-Khalifah threw Saddam out of the dock after a dispute erupted over the former leader's attempt to read out a Koranic verse.
Saddam's co-defendant Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti demanded to be allowed to leave with his leader, branding the prosecutors "pimps and traitors", and punched a court bailiff who attempted to push him back into his seat.
He also was expelled.
A third defendant, Ali Hassan al-Majid, declared: "I want to see the sentence passed now. I wish to be executed and finish with this court."
The hearing continued in closed session.
- AFP