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Saddam shows up for resumption of trial
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-21 22:04
A noticeably calmer Saddam Hussein sat quietly in his
defendant's chair at the resumption of his trial Wednesday, two weeks after he
called the court "unjust" and boycotted a session. When the judge refused to let
him take a break to pray, the former leader closed his eyes and appeared to pray
from his seat.
In this image made from television Saddam
Hussein sits in his defendant's chair at the resumption of his trial in
Baghdad, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005, two weeks after he refused to attend
the last session in a court he called 'unjust.' It was Saddam's first
court appearance following last week's election, when Iraqis swarmed to
the polls to vote for the country's first full-term parliament since his
downfall. [AP] |
Saddam and seven co-defendants are on trial in the
deaths of more than 140 Shiite Muslims following a 1982 assassination attempt
against him in the town of Dujail, north of Baghdad.
During previous sessions, Saddam has been defiant and combative at times,
often trying to dominate the courtroom. He and his half brother_ Barazan
Ibrahim, who was head of the Iraqi intelligence during the Dujail incident_ have
used the procedures to protest their own conditions in detention.
The deposed president had refused to attend the previous session on Dec. 7.
"I will not come to an unjust court! Go to hell!" he said in an outburst in
court the day before.
But on Wednesday, his behavior was calmer, and he appeared clean-shaven and
in fresh clothes, wearing a dark suit but no tie. Previously during the trial,
Saddam has appeared disheveled and has complained about being held in unsanitary
conditions.
After greeting the court with a traditional "Peace be upon you," he sat
quietly in the defendants' area and appeared to pay close attention to the
proceedings, at times taking notes.
Later on, Saddam, interrupting a witness, asked the
judge if the court could take a break for prayer. Though the witness agreed, the
judge ordered the trial to continue. About 10 minutes later, Saddam swung his
chair to the left, closed his eyes and repeatedly bowed his head in what
appeared to be about a minute-long prayer, the first time he has done that in
court.
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