Saddam’s defence lawyer walks out

BAGHDAD – Saddam Hussein’s chief lawyer walked out of court yesterday after 12 of his requests were rejected, but the chief judge immediately appointed other attorneys to defend the deposed president.

The walkout came shortly after chief defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi ended a monthlong boycott of the trial in which Saddam and six other defendants are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for a 1987-88 offensive against Iraq’s Kurdish population. When the session began, al-Dulaimi filed 12 requests, including that the court should allow foreign lawyers to attend the trial without prior court permission.Al-Dulaimi had said Sunday that he was ending his boycott in order to make the requests.Chief judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa denied the requests, prompting al-Dulaimi to say: “I inform the court that I’m withdrawing.”The judge replied: “I allow you to withdraw.Go ahead.”Al-Dulaimi has said that if Saddam is condemned to death in a separate trial, where he is charged with killing nearly 150 people from the town of Dujail, it could provoke civil war in Iraq and unrest throughout the Middle East.The verdict in the Dujail trial is expected November 5.Saddam and seven others are charged with crimes against humanity for the killing of 148 Muslim Shiites after an attempt to assassinate him in Dujail in 1982.Nampa-APWhen the session began, al-Dulaimi filed 12 requests, including that the court should allow foreign lawyers to attend the trial without prior court permission.Al-Dulaimi had said Sunday that he was ending his boycott in order to make the requests.Chief judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa denied the requests, prompting al-Dulaimi to say: “I inform the court that I’m withdrawing.”The judge replied: “I allow you to withdraw.Go ahead.”Al-Dulaimi has said that if Saddam is condemned to death in a separate trial, where he is charged with killing nearly 150 people from the town of Dujail, it could provoke civil war in Iraq and unrest throughout the Middle East.The verdict in the Dujail trial is expected November 5.Saddam and seven others are charged with crimes against humanity for the killing of 148 Muslim Shiites after an attempt to assassinate him in Dujail in 1982.Nampa-AP