Saddam lawyers clash with judge, leave court

Saddam, seven co-defendants, chief defence counsel Khalil al-Dulaimi and another member of the defence team filed into the Iraqi High Tribunal for the hearing, but instead of listening to evidence made a string of complaints.

Dulaimi branded the case against Saddam as political and said it lacked the "conditions for a fair trial". He and his fellow defence counsel clashed with the judge then left, their boycott apparently still in place.

His 12-point list of demands included one that non-Iraqi Arabs be allowed to appear as defence lawyers and that the court investigate an alleged beating of defendant Hussein Rashid by court bailiffs.

Defence lawyers had been boycotting the case since September in protest at alleged political interference in proceedings, in particular the sacking of the first trial judge Abdullah al-Ameri.