Saddam changes his mind

BAGHDAD – Saddam Hussein attended his trial for genocide against the Kurds yesterday, a day after he wrote to the chief judge that he no longer wants to go to court.

The deposed Iraqi leader walked into the courtroom with a broad smile and took a seat alongside his six co-defendants. It was not clear what prompted him to be present.The chief judge, Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, called a prosecution witness to the stand, reversing his Monday decision that the court would not hear more witnesses but instead review the evidence.In a handwritten statement released by Saddam’s lawyers Tuesday, the ex-president cited what he claimed were repeated “insults” by Judge al-Khalifa and prosecutors trying him for his role in the 1987-88 military campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq, which was code-named Operation Anfal.”I will not accept being offended continuously by you and others,” Saddam wrote to al-Khalifa.”Therefore, I ask to be relieved of attending the hearings in this new comedy and you can do whatever you want,” Saddam asserted.Saddam and six co-defendants have pleaded innocent to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their alleged roles in Operation Anfal.Saddam and one other defendant have pleaded innocent to the additional charge of genocide.If convicted, they could all be condemned to death.The prosecution estimates that 180 000 Kurds were killed when Saddam’s army waged a scorched-earth campaign against Kurdish separatist guerrillas, allegedly destroying hundreds of villages, killing or forcing their residents to flee.Nampa-APIt was not clear what prompted him to be present.The chief judge, Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, called a prosecution witness to the stand, reversing his Monday decision that the court would not hear more witnesses but instead review the evidence.In a handwritten statement released by Saddam’s lawyers Tuesday, the ex-president cited what he claimed were repeated “insults” by Judge al-Khalifa and prosecutors trying him for his role in the 1987-88 military campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq, which was code-named Operation Anfal.”I will not accept being offended continuously by you and others,” Saddam wrote to al-Khalifa.”Therefore, I ask to be relieved of attending the hearings in this new comedy and you can do whatever you want,” Saddam asserted.Saddam and six co-defendants have pleaded innocent to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their alleged roles in Operation Anfal.Saddam and one other defendant have pleaded innocent to the additional charge of genocide.If convicted, they could all be condemned to death.The prosecution estimates that 180 000 Kurds were killed when Saddam’s army waged a scorched-earth campaign against Kurdish separatist guerrillas, allegedly destroying hundreds of villages, killing or forcing their residents to flee.Nampa-AP