Saddam Hussein is ushered out of the courtroom after arguing with the new judge presiding over his trial. The tribunal had reopened with a new judge, after the first judge stepped down earlier this month.
Saddam and seven others face charges in the deaths of 140 Shiite Muslims in 1982 following an assassination attempt in the village of Dujail.
The turmoil follows weeks of uncertainty, delays and criticism. The first cheif judge, Rizgar Amin, resigned two weeks ago after being accused of excessive leniency. His deputy was removed after a special commission said that he had links to Saddam's baath party. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns over the U.S.-sponsored court's independence from political pressure.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAzMjM2NDYzMDEyMzc1Njk5NjAxNzY3OQ001))
