Saddam Hussein's trial resumed on Monday and in the courtroom it was more of the same from the former Iraqi dictator.
Saddam made yet another scene inside the courtroom. At one point, he screamed, 'Long live Iraq' and 'Long live the Iraqi people.' Saddam also proclaimed, 'Down with Bush!' at one point during the trial proceedings.
In another tantrum, Hussein also yelled at the presiding judge, Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman, and called him a criminal. Abdel-Rahman was sentenced to a life sentence in jail in absentia during in the 1970s for anti-state activities during Saddam's reign.
Defense lawyers had announced on Monday that Hussein and his co-defendants planned to continue their boycott of the proceedings as long as Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman remained the chief judge. Abdel-Rahman has attempted to cut down on courtroom outbursts such as the ones that took place today.
The proceedings took a peculiar turn today as statements by 23 witnesses regarding describing alleged incidents of torture committed by Saddam's regime were read onto the record by prosecutors. None of the witnesses made appearances and their absence was not explained by anybody in the courtroom.
Saddam and his seven co-defendants are on trial for crimes against humanity for incidents that took place in the city of Dujail in 1982. At least 140 males in Dujail were killed and many more tortured according to prosecutors. The events took place shortly after an unsuccessful coup attempt against Saddam.
In addition to the tantrums and disruptions, the trial has been unusual in other ways. Two defense lawyers have been killed, three of the five presiding judges have been replaced, and the court has taken six breaks, twice for more than a month.
