Iraq Court Expels Hussein Lawyer After Outburst

Bushra al-Khalil, defense attorney for ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (file photo) (epa) April 5, 2006 -- The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial has thrown one of the deposed Iraqi leader's lawyers out of court for disrupting the session.

Bushra al-Khalil was escorted from the court after Judge Ra'uf Abd al-Rahman told her she was out of control. Al-Khalil had held up pictures of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghurayb prison, saying, "This is what the Americans did to Iraqis."


Earlier, the prosecution had presented video footage showing alleged torture by former officials in the Hussein regime.


Hussein was cross-examined today for the first time over the alleged execution of more than 140 inhabitants of the Shi'ite village of Al-Dujayl following an attempt on his life in 1982. He defended the decision to put the Al-Dujayl suspects on trial prior to their alleged executions.


Hussein also faces genocide charges in a separate case filed on April 4.


(compiled from agency reports)

Saddam Hussein Biography

Saddam Hussein Biography

For a timeline of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's life from his rise within the ranks of the Ba'ath Party and the Revolution Command Council to his regime's ruthless persecution of perceived enemies at home and abroad, click here.