A visibly tired Saddam defended his August 1990 invasion of Kuwait and refused to sign legal papers after seven charges were read against him, an official of the Iraqi Special Tribunal said.
Insisting he was still president of Iraq during the 30-minute hearing, the ousted dictator in a grey suit, speaking in a hoarse voice, questioned the jurisdiction of the tribunal.
"This is all a theatre. The real criminal is Bush," said a thin-looking Saddam, who was handcuffed and chained...
Today's hearing began what is likely to be a tortuous and protracted process to apportion blame for the numerous atrocities committed in Iraq during Saddam's 24-year reign.
Majid, nicknamed Chemical Ali for the 1988 gassing of the Kurds, and ex-vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan are among Saddam's former chief aides who will also be read their charges on Thursday.
Former defence minister Sultan Hashim Ahmed, who was rumoured to have collaborated with the US military during the invasion in spring 2003, was also named in a tribunal statement on Tuesday.
They are currently being held under tight security at Camp Cropper, a US military detention centre at Baghdad's former international airport, according to a humanitarian organisation.
News Australia article
Insisting he was still president of Iraq during the 30-minute hearing, the ousted dictator in a grey suit, speaking in a hoarse voice, questioned the jurisdiction of the tribunal.
"This is all a theatre. The real criminal is Bush," said a thin-looking Saddam, who was handcuffed and chained...
Today's hearing began what is likely to be a tortuous and protracted process to apportion blame for the numerous atrocities committed in Iraq during Saddam's 24-year reign.
Majid, nicknamed Chemical Ali for the 1988 gassing of the Kurds, and ex-vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan are among Saddam's former chief aides who will also be read their charges on Thursday.
Former defence minister Sultan Hashim Ahmed, who was rumoured to have collaborated with the US military during the invasion in spring 2003, was also named in a tribunal statement on Tuesday.
They are currently being held under tight security at Camp Cropper, a US military detention centre at Baghdad's former international airport, according to a humanitarian organisation.
Ummmmm. Camp Cropper.
The handcuffs probably aren't necessary, but frankly, I think the chain is a little over the top.
He's right. It's theater. But I think he'll be playing his role quite nicely.
He also defended his 1990 invasion of Kuwait, a tribunal official said on Thursday.
Dressed in black, the jailed former leader declared, "Kuwait is an Iraqi territory. It was not an invasion," according to the official who attended the 30-minute hearing.
Also, according to reporters who attended the hearing, Saddam called the Kuwaitis "dogs".
...Saddam had no lawyers to represent him at the arraignment. Formal indictments may not be ready for months.
Aljazeera article
Dressed in black, the jailed former leader declared, "Kuwait is an Iraqi territory. It was not an invasion," according to the official who attended the 30-minute hearing.
Also, according to reporters who attended the hearing, Saddam called the Kuwaitis "dogs".
...Saddam had no lawyers to represent him at the arraignment. Formal indictments may not be ready for months.
Video being doctored to obliterate faces of soldiers and judges, and presumably to catch any secret signals Saddam might possibly be giving - pictures to follow.
Image from Voice of America
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