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Lawyer for Saddam Expelled From Court During Trial in Baghdad

05 April 2006

The trial of Saddam Hussein has adjourned for the day, but not before one his lawyers was thrown out of court for disrupting proceedings in Baghdad.

The trial's chief judge expelled attorney Bushra Khalil after she began screaming and showing pictures of Iraqi prisoners allegedly being abused by U.S. forces.

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein argues with Chief Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman during his trial Wednesday, April 5, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq
Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein argues with Chief Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman during his trial Wednesday, April 5, 2006, in Baghdad, Iraq

Saddam spent the day answering questions about the killing of more than 140 Shi'ite Muslims in 1982.  Iraqi prosecutors plan a separate trial for him on charges of genocide against Iraq's Kurds during the 1980s.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military in Iraq says it cannot confirm the authenticity of a video posted on the Internet that purports to show insurgents dragging the body of a slain helicopter pilot. 

The U.S. military confirms two pilots were killed Saturday, near Yousifiyah, south of Baghdad and says hostile fire could have caused the crash.  

Saddam was the only defendant in court for Wednesday's cross-examination.  He lashed out at Iraq's Shi'ite-dominated Interior Ministry, accusing it of torturing and killing thousands of people. 

He also demanded that an international body examine signatures presented as evidence in the case against him.  Prosecutors say the documents are Saddam's orders that resulted in the 1982 killing of Shi'ites in the village of Dujail.

Saddam has admitted giving the orders but says his actions were not a crime because a judge found the villagers guilty of plotting to assassinate him.

Some information for this report was provided by  AP and Reuters.

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