Saddam's Speech Results in Trial Closure

March 15, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq -
Saddam Hussein testified Wednesday for the first time at his trial, insisting he still was
Iraq's leader and calling the proceedings a "comedy," but the chief judge closed the trial to the public because he said the defendant was making political speeches.

The deposed president, wearing a black suit and standing before the chief judge while reading his remarks, addressed the Iraqi people about the bloody wave of sectarian violence that has rocked the country since the bombing of a major Shiite shrine last month.

"What pains me most is what I heard recently about something that aims to harm our people," Saddam said. "My conscience tells me that the great people of Iraq have nothing to do with these acts."

Chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman interrupted Saddam, saying he was not allowed to give political speeches in the court.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/saddam_trial;_ylt=A9FJqabODxhE_YMA8wGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

Ah, another day at the circus.

:)

Light on the butter please.

:shrug: Don't want any truth to come out of this lil' ole trial now ....

Saddam could calm the violence across the country and be put in charge again if he succeeds by stopping the impending civil war.

and BushCo will never do that.

"I call on the people to start resisting the invaders instead of killing each other," Saddam told the Iraqi High Tribunal as he began to testify on charges of crimes against humanity.

He also called those who destroy mosques "criminals" -- a reference to the spasm of violence rocking the country since the destruction of a Shiite shrine in Samarra on February 22.

"My people will never accept the occupation, it is my people who elected me in a referendum and who trusted me to lead them to safe harbour and I say to my people I remain faithful to them despite the injustices of which I am a victim," Saddam said.

Saddam took the stand wearing his trademark well-tailored dark suit without a tie, following a rambling testimony in the morning by half brother Barzan al-Tikriti, and said he was speaking as "the president of the republic and the commander in chief of the armed forces."

Baku Today