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Saddam lawyers walk out of trial Saddam witness describes attack
(about 10 hours later)
Defence lawyers for Saddam Hussein have walked out of court after requests made in an apparent end to their boycott of his genocide trial were turned down. The court trying Saddam Hussein for genocide has heard testimony from Kurdish witnesses describing alleged chemical attacks on their villages.
The ousted Iraqi president's trial on charges of genocide against the Kurds resumed after a break for Ramadan. Villagers spoke of their memories of Operation Anfal, a crackdown against Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s.
Chief defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi said the proceedings lacked the "conditions for a fair trial". They described a smell "like rotten apples" minutes after the bombings, comparing them to "Doomsday".
In a separate trial, a verdict is due on Sunday. Mr al-Dulaimi has warned of civil war if a death sentence is given. Testimony came after the ousted Iraqi president's defence stormed out, saying the trial could not be fair.
Chief defence lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi walked out of court after requests made in an apparent end to the boycott of the genocide trial were turned down.
After a heated exchange, the judge appointed replacement lawyers for Saddam Hussein who rejected them, insisting he wanted to be defended by his own lawyers.
Bodies 'piled up'
Jamal Sulaiman Qadir, 50, described approaching his village moments after four warplanes dropped chemical bombs on it.
"That day was like Doomsday. I could hear children crying for their fathers and women crying for their husbands. The bodies were piled up," he said.
"Some belonged to children who were still clutching lollipops or Eid sweets because it was the last day of Ramadan."
Saddam Hussein and six other defendants are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for a 1987-88 offensive against Iraq's Kurdish population.Saddam Hussein and six other defendants are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for a 1987-88 offensive against Iraq's Kurdish population.
Prosecutors say some 180,000 people died during the Anfal offensive.Prosecutors say some 180,000 people died during the Anfal offensive.
'Your Excellency' A verdict on a separate trial is due on Sunday. Saddam Hussein's chief lawyer has warned of civil war if a death sentence is given.
Defence lawyers had been boycotting the trial after the sacking of the previous presiding judge for alleged bias towards Saddam Hussein. Defence lawyers had been boycotting the trial since 24 September, after the sacking of the previous presiding judge for alleged bias towards Saddam Hussein.
On Monday, Mr al-Dulaimi filed 12 requests, including that the court should allow non-Iraqi lawyers to attend the trial without prior court permission, and that the court investigate an alleged beating of one of the defendants by court bailiffs. Earlier on Monday, Mr Dulaimi filed 12 requests, including that the court should allow non-Iraqi lawyers to attend the trial without prior court permission, and that the court investigate an alleged beating of one of the defendants by court bailiffs.
He also clashed with Judge Mohammad al-Khalifa over the judge's order that Mr al-Dulaimi stop referring to Saddam Hussein as "Mr President" and "your Excellency". He also clashed with Judge Mohammad al-Khalifa over the judge's order that Mr Dulaimi stop referring to Saddam Hussein as "Mr President" and "your Excellency".
The court appointed lawyers to represent Saddam Hussein after his lawyers left, but the former president rejected them.
On Sunday, Mr al-Dulaimi warned of the consequences of a death sentence against Saddam Hussein in the trial over the deaths of nearly 150 Shia civilians from the town of Dujail in 1982.
Mr al-Dulaimi told the Associated Press that he had recently written to US President George W Bush: "I warned him against the death penalty and against any other decision that would inflame a civil war in Iraq and send fire throughout the region."
A verdict in the Dujail trial is thought likely on 5 November.