Trial resumes without Saddam

2006-04-06 11:00

Baghdad - The trial of Saddam Hussein over the massacre of Shi'ite villagers resumed on Thursday in absence of the deposed leader, who in a fiery tirade the day before dismissed evidence linking him to the killings.

The hearing began with a single defendant in the dock, Awad Ahmad al-Bander, the former chief judge of the revolutionary court and deputy head of Saddam's office, who was recalled for further cross-examination.

It was not immediately known why Saddam was not in court.

Bander is one of Saddam's seven co-defendants accused over the massacre of 148 Shi'ites from the village of Dujail after an attempt on the Iraqi leader's life there in 1982.

He was called after testimony given in previous hearings indicated that 35 minors were executed.

Could face death penalty

But Bandar said the suspects over the Dujail assassination bid against Saddam were fairly tried, adding: "Even if their trial took place against the backdrop of the Iran war it was respectfully conducted and I do not think we violated any legal rules."

"The accused had all the the rights and were defended by their lawyers," he told chief judge Rauf Abdel Rahman.

On Wednesday, a defiant Saddam dismissed evidence linking him to the mass killing of Shi'ite villagers and launched a new tirade of abuse against his trial.

Saddam, now also facing genocide charges in a separate case, was cross-examined for the first time on Wednesday since the opening of his trial in October.

If found guilty, he and the seven other defendants face the death penalty.

The Iraqi High Tribunal on Tuesday said it would charge Saddam and six others for genocide for their role in the killing of Kurds in the late 1980s during the Anfal campaign which left about 180 000 dead.

During Wednesday's session which ended after nearly six hours of verbal exchanges, Saddam dismissed the testimony of witnesses and also brushed aside evidence presented by the prosecution against him in the Dujail case.

Chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Mussawi presented documents linking Saddam to the Dujail massacre, including identity cards of some alleged suspects in the assassination bid who were minors when sentenced by the revolutionary court.

"These documents are forged. I have never done anything to a youngster," Saddam told the judge.

"All these documents are forged and can be purchased on the streets of Baghdad. I can purchase a card like that saying the judge Rauf is 25 years old," he said, pointing towards the Kurdish judge.

- AFP