Saddam's Anfal genocide trial continues

Описание: (11 Oct 2006) SHOTLIST :
1. Wide of defendants in dock
2. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Chief Judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa:
"I am ready to meet any legal or humanitarian demand. In other words the judge should implement any demand."
3. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Hussein Rasheed, defendant formerly in the Iraqi military : (partly covered with shots 4 and 5)
"I have been in military service for 44 years and the army is just like a school, and I know what you have said. It is for our interest to stay in the courtroom. I'd like to ask, is it right that a defendant is being beaten and insulted in the court and under Iraqi judiciary before the judge? I'd like to tell you why. You (the Chief Judge) have taken a negative stand towards me since the first day and I don't know the reason. So I consider what had happened to me was an order by you."
4. Saddam Hussein listening to Rasheed
5. Chief Judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa listening to Rasheed
6. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Chief Judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa:
"Everything you say, you can say it."
7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq:
"What has always been taking place in court is that, when your Excellency, witnesses and prosecutors speak, they have the right to speak in public. Thus the exchange of views and opinions could lead to a final conclusion. When the man called 'the accused' speaks, you switch off the microphone. Is this fair?"
8. Wide of Saddam talking and co-defendants in dock
STORYLINE:
Former president of Iraq Saddam Hussein rebuked the chief judge of his genocide trial on Wednesday, accusing the court of preventing him from defending himself.
"When your Excellency, witnesses and prosecutors speak, they have the right to speak in public. When the man called 'the accused' speaks, you switch off the microphone. Is this fair?" Saddam asked chief judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa.
The ex-Iraqi president was referring to Tuesday's session when the judge switched off Saddam's microphone after he began shouting a verse from the Quran, the Islamic holy book.
When Saddam refused to listen to the judge, the judge ordered court bailiffs to eject the deposed leader.
Speaking calmly from the dock as his six co-defendants listened, Saddam told the judge that it was the duty of the judge to listen to him and that he would not lose anything by doing so.
The judge replied that he had cut Saddam's microphone to "bring order to the courtroom."
Al-Khalifa said Saddam could only talk to defend himself, not to "get into the political labyrinth."
Saddam interrupted, but the judge cut the microphone again.
Saddam then sat down and the judge called a witness to the stand.
Defendant Hussein Rasheed, formerly in the Iraqi military, also challenged the judge.
The seven defendants have been on trial since 21 August.
The accused have pleaded innocent to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during a military offensive against Iraq's Kurdish population in 1987-88.
Saddam and one other defendant are also charged with genocide against the Kurds.
The prosecution says about 180-thousand people, mostly civilians, died in the military offensive, codenamed Operation Anfal.
If convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to death by hanging.

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