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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Judge says Saddam 'not dictator' | Judge says Saddam 'not dictator' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial has said the former Iraqi leader was not a dictator, but had only been made to seem like one by his aides. | The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial has said the former Iraqi leader was not a dictator, but had only been made to seem like one by his aides. |
| The controversial comments come a day after Judge Abdullah al-Amiri was accused of bias towards the defence. | The controversial comments come a day after Judge Abdullah al-Amiri was accused of bias towards the defence. |
| During the court session, a Kurdish man recalled a 1989 audience with Saddam Hussein, which he had hoped would secure freedom for his jailed family. | During the court session, a Kurdish man recalled a 1989 audience with Saddam Hussein, which he had hoped would secure freedom for his jailed family. |
| Saddam Hussein and six others are on trial for war crimes against Kurds. | Saddam Hussein and six others are on trial for war crimes against Kurds. |
| The trial comes against a backdrop of increased violence. | The trial comes against a backdrop of increased violence. |
| On Thursday, US forces said they had captured an al-Qaeda leader in one of several raids in Baghdad. | |
| Another al-Qaeda leader, Abu Jaafar al-Liby, is said to have been killed in a raid by Iraqi forces. | Another al-Qaeda leader, Abu Jaafar al-Liby, is said to have been killed in a raid by Iraqi forces. |
| Elsewhere in Baghdad, police said at least 10 people had been killed in two car bomb attacks on Thursday. | Elsewhere in Baghdad, police said at least 10 people had been killed in two car bomb attacks on Thursday. |
| The first blast happened in a mixed Shia and Sunni area in north-western Baghdad. The second bomb exploded outside a passport office. | The first blast happened in a mixed Shia and Sunni area in north-western Baghdad. The second bomb exploded outside a passport office. |
| Elsewhere, a traffic-police colonel was shot dead on his way to work in Baghdad. | Elsewhere, a traffic-police colonel was shot dead on his way to work in Baghdad. |
| Family 'gone' | Family 'gone' |
| The exchange between the judge and Saddam Hussein came after the testimony of Abdullah Mohammed Hussain. | The exchange between the judge and Saddam Hussein came after the testimony of Abdullah Mohammed Hussain. |
| Saddam Hussein asked the 57-year-old witness: "Why did you try to meet me when you knew I was a dictator?" | Saddam Hussein asked the 57-year-old witness: "Why did you try to meet me when you knew I was a dictator?" |
| "You were not a dictator. People around you made you [look like] a dictator," the judge said. | "You were not a dictator. People around you made you [look like] a dictator," the judge said. |
| I consoled myself, thinking that Saddam may feel sorry for me and set my family free Abdullah Mohammed Hussain | I consoled myself, thinking that Saddam may feel sorry for me and set my family free Abdullah Mohammed Hussain |
| "Thank you," Saddam Hussein replied. | "Thank you," Saddam Hussein replied. |
| Earlier in the high-profile trial taking place within Baghdad's high-security Green Zone, Mr Hussain said how he had met the Iraqi leader in 1989 after the end of the Anfal campaign against the Kurds. | Earlier in the high-profile trial taking place within Baghdad's high-security Green Zone, Mr Hussain said how he had met the Iraqi leader in 1989 after the end of the Anfal campaign against the Kurds. |
| He said the meeting came after repeated requests to the Iraqi military. | He said the meeting came after repeated requests to the Iraqi military. |
| "I told Saddam: 'Sir, my family members were arrested'," Mr Hussain, a farmer, told the court. | "I told Saddam: 'Sir, my family members were arrested'," Mr Hussain, a farmer, told the court. |
| "Saddam asked me where, and I told him: 'In my village'. Saddam said: 'Shut up. Your family is gone in the Anfal'." | "Saddam asked me where, and I told him: 'In my village'. Saddam said: 'Shut up. Your family is gone in the Anfal'." |
| The Iraqi president told him to "get out of here", he said. | The Iraqi president told him to "get out of here", he said. |
| "I saluted him, saying: 'Yes, sir.' And I left. I consoled myself, thinking that Saddam may feel sorry for me and set my family free. I was very sad. But I really hoped he would release them," he said. | "I saluted him, saying: 'Yes, sir.' And I left. I consoled myself, thinking that Saddam may feel sorry for me and set my family free. I was very sad. But I really hoped he would release them," he said. |
| Mr Hussain said the remains of some of his relatives turned up in a mass grave only two years ago, but that there was no trace of others. | Mr Hussain said the remains of some of his relatives turned up in a mass grave only two years ago, but that there was no trace of others. |
| The witness also described how his village of Sida, near the Kurdish city of Suleimaniya, came under attack by artillery fire and aircraft during the Anfal campaign. | The witness also described how his village of Sida, near the Kurdish city of Suleimaniya, came under attack by artillery fire and aircraft during the Anfal campaign. |
| On Wednesday, chief prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon called for the judge to stand down for alleged bias towards the defendants, saying the accused had been given too much room to threaten witnesses and make political speeches. | On Wednesday, chief prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon called for the judge to stand down for alleged bias towards the defendants, saying the accused had been given too much room to threaten witnesses and make political speeches. |
| The previous day, Saddam Hussein had threatened to "crush the head" of a lawyer of one witness for the prosecution. | The previous day, Saddam Hussein had threatened to "crush the head" of a lawyer of one witness for the prosecution. |
| The former leader and others, including his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, are accused of killing up to 180,000 Kurdish civilians during Operation Anfal. | The former leader and others, including his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, are accused of killing up to 180,000 Kurdish civilians during Operation Anfal. |