WRAP Saddam trial resumes after two-week break, adds bite

Описание: (22 Dec 2005) **TRUE DATE CREATED = 21/12/2005**



1. Wall in court building with Justice scales
2. Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin
3. Deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein laughs, then listens
4. Prosecutors
5. Defendant Barazan Ibrahim, Saddam's brother
6. Judge
7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Najib al-Nueimi, ex-Qatari Justice Minister and defence lawyer:
"Firstly, about security. We cannot continue with this trial in the coming sessions, as we have stated in the previous sessions, due to lack of security."
Judge interrupts: "We have replied to you."
al-Nueimi: "We want to state this fact. Secondly, there is lack of good treatment towards us. The issue has moved from threatening the local (Iraqi) lawyers to issuing international and religious decrees towards us personally."
8. Defendant
9. Another defendant
10. Saddam listening
11. UPSOUND: (Arabic) Prosecution witness Ali Hassan Mohammed al-Haidari - reading verse of the Quran:
"The truth has come and oppression has been defeated."
Saddam in the background nodding in agreement and reading the same verse with the witness:
"The truth has come and oppression has been defeated."
12. UPSOUND: (Arabic) Judge talking to the defendant:
"Talk to the court."
13. UPSOUND: (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President:
"He should be saying the Iraqi president." (referring to the prosecution's first witness remark 'in 1982, when Saddam entered Dujail ... ')
14. Wide shot of eight defendants, including Saddam Hussein (bottom right of screen)
15. Saddam Hussein praying in background as first witness in foreground addresses court
16. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President:
(partly overlaid by judge and prosecutor)
"If the public prosecution takes note of the witnesses' discrepancies, with the same enthusiasm it does with the accused, then it should be balanced in this matter."
17. Saddam Hussein, witness and prosecutors
18. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Barazan Ibrahim, Defendant, Saddam's brother:
"There are people in prison who cannot walk because of burns. All of my hand was burnt and they burnt my pyjamas' shirt on me during the torture. Here are the marks of the handcuff, come and see them, (they are visible) until now. The bad treatment is continuing daily. Every day there is oppression, violence and psychological and physical torture."
19. Saddam Hussein

STORYLINE:

A quieter Saddam Hussein sat in his defendant's chair at the resumption of his trial on Wednesday, two weeks after he called the court "unjust" and boycotted a session.

In an apparent rebuke of the judge's refusal for a recess, the former leader bowed his head and prayed in court.

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.

The deposed president was wearing a dark suit but no tie on Wednesday, and he appeared clean-shaven and in fresh clothes.

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 that the trial should break, the judge ordered it to continue.

About ten 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's done that in court.










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