Saddam argues with judge as his trial resumes
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-28 20:33

U.S. ATTORNEY IN COURT

The first hour of Monday's session was taken up with procedural matters as the defendants made requests to have more visits from relatives and Saddam complained about his rights.

The defense lawyers also requested that the court stand to honor the two attorneys killed after the first session. A defense lawyer asked the chief judge that all should rise and read from the Koran as a mark of respect.

"The court shows deep sorrow for what happened to the lawyers who were with us in the last session and now they are absent because of what happened to them," Amin said.

"The court believes that the best way to show respect to them is to ensure the conduct of a fair and public trial."

At least one of the defendants' lawyers did not show up in court and the Iraqi High Tribunal, the U.S.-funded body conducting the trial, said it would appoint an attorney for him.

The court rejected defense motions for a further adjournment of up to three months, and witnesses were expected to take the stand for the first time. The judge has said around 30 could testify, but only a handful were expected to appear on Monday.

Residents of Dujail told Reuters at the weekend that death threats had already been made against some witnesses.

Former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark and a former justice minister of Qatar were permitted to join the defense team as advisers in the courtroom. Clark, a controversial figure who has advised Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic in the past, has said he intends to challenge the court's legal status.

Most of the 40-day break since the first session has been dominated by security issues after the murder of the defense lawyers. A third fled Iraq after death threats.

An Iraqi police chief told Reuters on the eve of the resumption that eight men had been detained and had confessed to plotting to kill the court's chief investigator, Raed Jouhi.

Jouhi built the case against Saddam and has been the public face of the tribunal.

The 10 or so Iraqi lawyers still involved in representing the eight defendants agreed to return to court only after promises of undisclosed improvements in security were made.