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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Saddam warned to behave in court | Saddam warned to behave in court |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The judge in Saddam Hussein's trial has warned the defendant to behave himself in court or face being thrown out. | The judge in Saddam Hussein's trial has warned the defendant to behave himself in court or face being thrown out. |
| Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa made the comments a day after ejecting the former Iraqi leader for the second time in a week for making loud protests. | Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa made the comments a day after ejecting the former Iraqi leader for the second time in a week for making loud protests. |
| The defence team representing Saddam Hussein and his six co-defendants are boycotting the trial in protest at what they say is government interference. | The defence team representing Saddam Hussein and his six co-defendants are boycotting the trial in protest at what they say is government interference. |
| The seven are accused of crimes against humanity in a 1980s attack on Kurds. | The seven are accused of crimes against humanity in a 1980s attack on Kurds. |
| Saddam Hussein and his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", are also accused of genocide. All face the death penalty. | |
| Tens of thousands of people are known to have died in the Anfal military campaign. | |
| 'Rights and obligations' | |
| Saddam Hussein was thrown out of the court on Monday after complaining about being confined in a metal pen where the defendants sit. | |
| By disrespecting the court, you are only damaging your cause Chief Judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa | |
| Chief Judge al-Khalifa opened the proceedings with a stern lecture to the former Iraqi leader. | |
| "You are a defendant here. You have rights and obligations," he said. | |
| "You can defend yourself, question witnesses ... and I am ready to allow you, but this is a court, not a political arena. | |
| "By disrespecting the court, you are only damaging your cause." | |
| Saddam Hussein responded by reading out a long statement from a piece of paper, but courtroom microphones were cut off. | |
| Defence lawyers walked out of the trial last Wednesday following the removal of the previous chief judge, Abdullah al-Amiri, who was replaced the previous day following accusations of bias towards the former president. | |
| They vowed not to return until the government stopped "interfering" in the trial. | |
| Court-appointed lawyers replaced the defence team at the trial when it resumed on Monday. |