Saddam trial: 1st witness talks

2005-12-05 13:29

Baghdad - The first witness to speak in person in the trial of deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein began testifying on Monday.

As Ahmed Hassan Mohammed al-Dujaili began giving his evidence, the former president interrupted from the dock, before being quietened down by the presiding judge.

Saddam and seven of his most senior deputies are on trial for the massacre of 148 people from the Shi'ite village of Dujail in 1982, for which all the accused could face the death penalty.

"Massive forces came down to Dujail as if there was a war. Then someone phoned us that our niece was shot in her leg," he said.

The first witness, a well-known member of the Shi'ite Dawa party, appeared in full view of the court. Other witnesses are scheduled to give evidence from behind a screen due to security concerns.

Saddam was argumentative

The trial was marred by chaotic scenes on Monday after the defence team briefly walked out of the tribunal and the ousted Iraqi dictator shouted a tirade of impassioned abuse at the court.

The dramatic scenes, which prompted a 90-minute recess of the tribunal to solve the problems, were a further setback for the court which has previously held just two brief sessions after two earlier adjournments.

The first witness began testifying after the recess.

The defence team for Saddam and seven of his top lieutenants returned to the room 90 minutes after judge Mohammed Rizkar Amin agreed to let them address the court after previously refusing to do so without a written request.

From the dock, a bearded and neatly suited Saddam interrupted the dispute demanding: "How is it (the court) legitimate when it was set up under the occupation?"

The chief defendant refused to have lawyers appointed by the court and stood up to shout at the top of his voice: "Long live Iraq. Long live the Arab nation. Long live Iraq."

He and seven of his most senior deputies are on trial for the massacre of 148 people from the Shi'ite village of Dujail in 1982, for which all the accused could face the death penalty.

At least three witnesses were due to appear on Monday.

But amid fears over their security, only two witnesses were to appear in court and be filmed by television cameras relaying the trial to the world, a US official close to the tribunal.

Another six were to appear in the court but without being filmed. The final two were expected to speak from behind a screen, said the official, who asked not to be named.

Dozens of Iraqis in his former hometown Tikrit demonstrated in support of Saddam, while a symbolic protest against him took place outside the Green Zone in Baghdad where the trial is taking place.

The trial has been plagued by a range of problems since its inception, most notably serious security issues.

- AFP