Defiant Saddam appears in court
Saddam appeared both defiant and downcast
Iraq's ex-leader Saddam Hussein has made a defiant appearance before an Iraqi judge, branding President George W Bush as the "real criminal".
He defended Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, declared himself still Iraqi president and rejected the jurisdiction of the special tribunal.
Saddam was taken in handcuffs and chains to the courtroom, located in a former palace near Baghdad airport.
First pictures of the proceedings are currently being broadcast.
Lengthy process
The footage will give most Iraqis their first sight of Saddam Hussein since his capture last December.
To see the man who was once an overwhelming figure in every Iraqi's life in the dock is likely to be a great shock and joy for many people, the BBC's John Simpson reports from Baghdad.
POSSIBLE CHARGES
Invasion of Kuwait
Suppression of Kurd and Shia uprisings
Iran-Iraq War
Gas attack on Kurds
Likely charges for Saddam
Q&A: Putting Saddam on trial
Saddam Hussein, described by reporters at the hearing as both defiant and downcast, denounced the proceedings as "theatre" and questioned the validity of the law he was to be tried under.
"I am Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq," he replied when asked to confirm his identity.
A list of seven preliminary charges was read out to him, including accusations over the campaign against the Kurds in the 1990s, which included the use of chemical weapons in Halabja, and the suppression of Kurdish and Shia uprisings after the 1991 Gulf War.
Iraq's former president refused to concede that he had invaded Kuwait in 1990.
"How can you, as an Iraqi, say the 'invasion of Kuwait' when Kuwait is part of Iraq?" he asked the judge.
A CNN reporter at the hearing said Saddam Hussein, looking thin and with a trimmed beard said "please" a lot as he tried to interrupt the judge. But he also challenged the court's jurisdiction, refusing at the end to sign legal papers that he had been read his rights and understood the charges against him.
He has now been taken back to jail, while the charges are read out one by one against the 11 other accused.
These include former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and Ali Hasan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali" for his alleged role in poison gas attacks, were formally transferred from US to Iraqi custody on Wednesday.
Defence concerns
Saddam Hussein's lawyers have already challenged the court's legitimacy.
One member of his 20-strong defence team, Mohammed Rashdan, told the BBC's Today programme that they had been denied access to their client.
TOP DETAINEES
Tariq Aziz - Deputy PM
Taha Yassin Ramadan - Vice-President
Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Tal - Defence Minister
Abid Hamid al-Tikrit - Presidential secretary
Ali Hasan al-Majid - "Chemical Ali"
Watban Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti - Saddam Hussein's half-brother - Intelligence Minister
Top Iraqi detainees: Full list
He also alleged that they had received death threats from the Iraqi government.
Iraq's new national security adviser, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, has insisted the process will not be a show trial.
"As an Iraqi interim government, we promise our people and the Arab world and the outside world, we promise that Saddam will stand a fair trial," he said in a BBC interview.
The government is considering restoring the death penalty and Mr Rubaie said Saddam Hussein could face execution if convicted.
The full trials may not get under way until next year as many issues still need to be resolved and could take months or even years.
Witness protection
The BBC's Christian Frasier in Baghdad says there are concerns in Iraq that crucial evidence has still to be gathered.
Iraqis cannot be victims and at the same time juries
John Upindi, Namibia
Your view: A fair trial?
The Coalition Provisional Authority has identified more than 250 mass graves, but as yet there have been no full forensic exhumations and investigations are being hampered by the lack of security on the ground.
Our correspondent says without a system in place to gather statements and protect those who come forward there are fears that many valuable witnesses will be lost.
But the interim Iraqi government has dismissed such concerns, insisting that the evidence is already overwhelming as Saddam Hussein's regime was meticulous in recording the most minute details of abuses carried out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3855359.stm
Saddam appeared both defiant and downcast
Iraq's ex-leader Saddam Hussein has made a defiant appearance before an Iraqi judge, branding President George W Bush as the "real criminal".
He defended Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, declared himself still Iraqi president and rejected the jurisdiction of the special tribunal.
Saddam was taken in handcuffs and chains to the courtroom, located in a former palace near Baghdad airport.
First pictures of the proceedings are currently being broadcast.
Lengthy process
The footage will give most Iraqis their first sight of Saddam Hussein since his capture last December.
To see the man who was once an overwhelming figure in every Iraqi's life in the dock is likely to be a great shock and joy for many people, the BBC's John Simpson reports from Baghdad.
POSSIBLE CHARGES
Invasion of Kuwait
Suppression of Kurd and Shia uprisings
Iran-Iraq War
Gas attack on Kurds
Likely charges for Saddam
Q&A: Putting Saddam on trial
Saddam Hussein, described by reporters at the hearing as both defiant and downcast, denounced the proceedings as "theatre" and questioned the validity of the law he was to be tried under.
"I am Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq," he replied when asked to confirm his identity.
A list of seven preliminary charges was read out to him, including accusations over the campaign against the Kurds in the 1990s, which included the use of chemical weapons in Halabja, and the suppression of Kurdish and Shia uprisings after the 1991 Gulf War.
Iraq's former president refused to concede that he had invaded Kuwait in 1990.
"How can you, as an Iraqi, say the 'invasion of Kuwait' when Kuwait is part of Iraq?" he asked the judge.
A CNN reporter at the hearing said Saddam Hussein, looking thin and with a trimmed beard said "please" a lot as he tried to interrupt the judge. But he also challenged the court's jurisdiction, refusing at the end to sign legal papers that he had been read his rights and understood the charges against him.
He has now been taken back to jail, while the charges are read out one by one against the 11 other accused.
These include former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and Ali Hasan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali" for his alleged role in poison gas attacks, were formally transferred from US to Iraqi custody on Wednesday.
Defence concerns
Saddam Hussein's lawyers have already challenged the court's legitimacy.
One member of his 20-strong defence team, Mohammed Rashdan, told the BBC's Today programme that they had been denied access to their client.
TOP DETAINEES
Tariq Aziz - Deputy PM
Taha Yassin Ramadan - Vice-President
Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Tal - Defence Minister
Abid Hamid al-Tikrit - Presidential secretary
Ali Hasan al-Majid - "Chemical Ali"
Watban Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti - Saddam Hussein's half-brother - Intelligence Minister
Top Iraqi detainees: Full list
He also alleged that they had received death threats from the Iraqi government.
Iraq's new national security adviser, Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, has insisted the process will not be a show trial.
"As an Iraqi interim government, we promise our people and the Arab world and the outside world, we promise that Saddam will stand a fair trial," he said in a BBC interview.
The government is considering restoring the death penalty and Mr Rubaie said Saddam Hussein could face execution if convicted.
The full trials may not get under way until next year as many issues still need to be resolved and could take months or even years.
Witness protection
The BBC's Christian Frasier in Baghdad says there are concerns in Iraq that crucial evidence has still to be gathered.
Iraqis cannot be victims and at the same time juries
John Upindi, Namibia
Your view: A fair trial?
The Coalition Provisional Authority has identified more than 250 mass graves, but as yet there have been no full forensic exhumations and investigations are being hampered by the lack of security on the ground.
Our correspondent says without a system in place to gather statements and protect those who come forward there are fears that many valuable witnesses will be lost.
But the interim Iraqi government has dismissed such concerns, insisting that the evidence is already overwhelming as Saddam Hussein's regime was meticulous in recording the most minute details of abuses carried out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3855359.stm
