The chief prosecutor in Saddam Hussein's genocide trial demanded that the presiding judge step down, accusing him Wednesday of bias toward the deposed president and his co-defendants.
"You allowed this court to become a political podium for the defendants," stated the prosecutor, Munqith al-Faroon, as judge Abdullah al-Amiri listened. Saddam thundered Tuesday against "agents of Iran and Zionism" and vowed to "crush your heads" after listening to Kurdish witnesses tell of the horrors committed by the fallen regime two decades ago.
According to the AP, Al-Faroon alleged that al-Amiri was giving Saddam the time to make "political" statements that were irrelevant to the proceedings. "For instance yesterday, instead of taking legal action (against Saddam), you asked his permission to talk," al-Faroon said. "The action of the court leans toward the defendants."
Al-Amiri did not directly answer the accusation, but mentioned how a successor to the Prophet Muhammad allowed the accused to voice their views. One of the "pillars of the judiciary is to treat everyone equally," al-Amiri said before ordering that the proceedings resume.
