Saddam's trial resumes

Saddam Hussein testified today for the first time at his trial in the Iraqi capital Baghdad today and called on Iraqis to stop a bloody wave of sectarian violence.

Photo: Saddam's trial resumes

He urged them to instead fight American troops. This prompted the chief judge to close the courtroom, saying he was making political speeches.

Even as the judge repeatedly shouted at him to stop, Saddam read from a prepared text, insisting he was still Iraq’s president.

“Let the (Iraqi) people unite and resist the invaders and their backers. Don’t fight among yourselves,” he said, praising the insurgency.

“In my eyes, you are the resistance to the American invasion.”

Finally chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman ordered the session to continue in secret, telling journalists to leave the chamber. The video and audio broadcast of the trial was cut off.

After nearly two hours, reporters were called back into the court. Saddam was sitting alone in the defendants’ pen in front of the judge. The former Iraqi leader then refused to answer questions from the chief prosecutor, demanding to see a copy of his testimony given to investigators before the trial began.

The prosecution agreed to the demand and said they would question Saddam in the next session, reports Ireland Online.

I.L.