Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
BAGHDAD, Iraq - (AP) Saddam Hussein's defense team walked out of
the court Monday after the chief trial judge refused to allow former
Attorney General Ramsey Clark to challenge the tribunal's legitimacy in an
address to the session.
Clark tried to address the court, saying he needed only two minutes
to present his argument. But Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin said the
tribunal had been established under the law by an elected Iraqi government
and that only Saddam's chief lawyer could address the hearing.
Amin said the defense should submit its motion in writing and warned
that if the defense walked out then the court would appoint replacement
lawyers.
"We reject the appointment of court employees to defend us," Saddam
said.
He and his half brother Barazan Ibrahim then chanted "Long Live
Iraq, Long Live the Arab state"
When the judge explained that he was ruling in accordance with the
law Saddam replied "This is a law made by America and does not reflect Iraqi
sovereignty."
A guard tried to calm Ibrahim but he angrily told them to leave him
alone.
The defense maintained that the court could not proceed to issues of
substance before the matter of legitimacy and other procedural matters were
resolved.
Saddam's chief lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, demanded that the court
halt its proceedings until the challenged is ruled on. The judge replied
that the proceedings must go on while the challenge is being deliberated.
Clark spent about 15 minutes trying to address the ourt, but the
judge wouldn't let him, arguing that only Arabic is recognized the language
of the court.
" We will give you enough time to address the court at a suitable
time," said the judge.
At that point, Saddam snapped: "The American occupation continues."
the court Monday after the chief trial judge refused to allow former
Attorney General Ramsey Clark to challenge the tribunal's legitimacy in an
address to the session.
Clark tried to address the court, saying he needed only two minutes
to present his argument. But Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin said the
tribunal had been established under the law by an elected Iraqi government
and that only Saddam's chief lawyer could address the hearing.
Amin said the defense should submit its motion in writing and warned
that if the defense walked out then the court would appoint replacement
lawyers.
"We reject the appointment of court employees to defend us," Saddam
said.
He and his half brother Barazan Ibrahim then chanted "Long Live
Iraq, Long Live the Arab state"
When the judge explained that he was ruling in accordance with the
law Saddam replied "This is a law made by America and does not reflect Iraqi
sovereignty."
A guard tried to calm Ibrahim but he angrily told them to leave him
alone.
The defense maintained that the court could not proceed to issues of
substance before the matter of legitimacy and other procedural matters were
resolved.
Saddam's chief lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, demanded that the court
halt its proceedings until the challenged is ruled on. The judge replied
that the proceedings must go on while the challenge is being deliberated.
Clark spent about 15 minutes trying to address the ourt, but the
judge wouldn't let him, arguing that only Arabic is recognized the language
of the court.
" We will give you enough time to address the court at a suitable
time," said the judge.
At that point, Saddam snapped: "The American occupation continues."