The Saddam Hussein Trial

BBC News
NPR Trial
NPR Timeline
CTV
MSNBC
CNN
CBC
Map Report

The above sites were all used to complete the following assignment.

I chose to describe the happenings of the Saddam Hussein trial by using a timeline.

10/19/05

-The trial begins.
-Saddam claimed that he was still the president of Iraq.
-Saddam questions whether or not the court is legitimate.
-Saddam and his seven co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of ordering the killing of 148 Shias (Shiite Muslims) from the village of Dujail in 1982.
-Three hours pass, until the adjourned until the 28th of November. This is because many witnesses had not shown up to the trial.

10/20/05

-A defense attorney for one of Saddam's co-defendants is kidnapped and killed.

10/22/05

-Lawyers for Saddam Hussein and seven codefendants reject an offer of protection from Iraq's Interior Ministry.
-It is wondered how security will affect the court proceedings.

11/8/05

-Another defense attorney for a co-defendant is killed, this time in an ambush.

11/27/05

-An international monitor voices concern about the legality and fairness of the proceedings.

11/28/05

-The trial heard its first witness testimony, from a former Iraqi intelligence officer who investigated the 1982 assassination attempt which triggered the alleged massacre in Dujail.
-Saddam Hussein complained that his foreign guards had taken his pen away, rendering him unable to sign court papers.
-Saddam referred to police guards at the trial as "conquerors and occupiers."
-At least four defence lawyers failed to turn up .
-The trial was adjourned until 5 December so the defence team could replace three lawyers.

12/4/05

-Saddam Hussein's newest defense lawyer is former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.
-Clark's supporters say he's fighting for justice.

12/5/05

-The first witness to appear in person at the trial gave evidence.
-Saddam and his half brother interrupted the witness.
-Saddam told the court he wasn’t afraid of execution.
-The trial was suspended for more than an hour because of a walkout by defence lawyers protesting the refusal of the chief judge to let them challenge the legitimacy of the process in open court.
-Ahmed Hassan Mohammed gave a moving account of torture at the hands of the Iraqi security services.
-Two witnesses from the Shiite town of Dujail testify.

12/6/05

-The trial heard evidence from three witnesses from the town of Dujail.
-The witnesses were allowed to retain their anonymity and gave evidence behind a curtain.
-The judge declared that the trial would continue on Wednesday.
-Saddam says that he is exhausted, and tells the judge to go to *h-e-double-hockey-sticks*.
-Hussein announces that he will not return to the “unjust” court.

12/7/05

-As threatened, Saddam does not show up to court today.
-Hours passed as it was debated on how to go on without him.
-Eventually, trial was resumed.
-Two more witnesses testified.
-The trial was adjourned until December 21st.

And now, to answer the questions...

a. What former US Attorney General is now a member of Hussein's defense team?
-Ramsey Clark
b. Why did the defense team most recently walk out?
-The chief judge did not allow the defense team to challenge the legitimacy of the process in open court.
c. What is Hussein being tried for in THIS particular trial (there will be others.)?
-He is being tried on the charges of ordering the killing of 148 Shias (Shiite Muslims) from the village of Dujail in 1982. There will be 12 trials in all.
d. Who is planning to attack the location of Hussein's trial, and why are they doing so?
-A Sunni Arab insurgent group planned to fire rockets at the court building during Monday‘s court session. It was a group called the 1920 Revolution Brigades. As of now, no more details have been released.