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Hussein Shouts At Judge As Trial Resumes

13 February 2006 -- The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed today in Baghdad, with the defiant former Iraqi leader shouting angrily at the presiding judge.

Hussein, who refused to attend the last two sessions of the trial, was forced to attend today's session.

Dressed in a traditional Arab robe and carrying a Koran, the ousted Iraqi leader entered the courtroom shouting, "Long live Iraq" and "Down with [U.S. President George W.] Bush."

"Long live Iraq! Long live the Arab nation! Down with the agents [of occupation]!" Hussein shouted. "Down with Bush! Long live the nation! Long live the nation!"

The former Iraqi leader and seven codefendants face charges over the 1982 killing of 148 people in the village of Al- Dujayl.

The defense team, including chief defense counsel Khalil al-Dulaimi, are boycotting the proceedings. They say the new head judge, Ra'uf Rashid Abd al-Rahman, is biased against their clients.

Two former senior officials who served under Hussein are due to testify today.

Prosecutors hope that testimony from former foreign intelligence chief Hassan al-Ubaydi and onetime presidential office head Ahmad Khudayir will help establish a chain of command proving Hussein was directly involved in atrocities.

(AFP/AP/dpa)

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org