2A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 30, 2006 NATION/WORLD Saddam's trial degenerates into chaos NEWS IN BRIEF LI I Z 0 After new judge expels co-defendant and lawyer from courtroom, Hussein engages in shouting match BAGHDAD (AP) - A new judge cracked down yesterday in a chaotic ses- sion of Saddam Hussein's trial,ordering a co-defendant and a lawyer expelled from the courtroom. The entire defense team left in protest and Saddam was escorted out after a shouting match in which he yelled, "Down with America!" Despite the turmoil, chief judge Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman pushed ahead, replacing the defense lawyers with court- appointed attorneys and hearing three prosecution witnesses before adjourning the trial until later this week. It was Abdel-Rahman's first ses- sion at the helm, replacing a jurist who stepped down amid criticism that he was not doing enough to stop Saddam and his half brother, co-defendant Bar- zan Ibrahim, from dominating the trial with frequent outbursts and disruptions. Defense lawyers criticized the tough approach, saying it was preventing Sad- dam and his seven co-defendants from getting a fair trial. The eight could face death by hanging if convicted in the killing of at least 140 Shiites after a July 1982 attempt on Saddam's life in the town of Dujail north of Baghdad. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who is part of Saddam's defense team but did not attend Sun- day's session, denounced the court as "lawless" and repeated calls for it to be moved out of Iraq. "Now the court is seated without the defendants' counsel of choice. This is wrong," Clark said, speaking from New York. Abdel-Rahman wasted little time in distinguishing himself from his pre- decessor, Rizgar Mohammed Amin, telling the court at the start of the pro- ceedings that anyone who broke the rules would be thrown out. The session, which was the first since Dec. 22, rapidly degenerated into chaos. Ibrahim called the court "the daughter of a whore" and refused to sit down. Abdel-Rahman ordered him removed, and Ibrahim scuffled with two guards before they dragged him out of the courtroom. Then defense lawyer Salih al- Armouti, a Jordanian, was forcibly removed from the court for yelling at Abdel-Rahman. The entire defense team walked out in protest. "This is an unjust and ille- gitimate court," Khalil al-Dulaimi, Saddam's chief lawyer, told the judge on the way out. Protesting Ibrahim's expulsion and shouting "down with traitors" and "down with America," Saddam got into a heated argument with the judge, rejecting the court-appointed lawyers and demanding to leave. When the judge ordered guards to remove him, Saddam - holding a Quran under his arm - became indig- nant, saying he was choosing to go and referring to his time in power. "For 35 years I led you, and you say, A 4Th ' AP PHOTO Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein gestures during his trial held under tight security in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone yesterday. JERUSALEM Israel may cut off Palestinian aid Israel ruled out contacts with a Palestinian government led by Hamas unless the Islamic group renounces violence and threatened yesterday to "liquidate" militants if they resume attacking Israelis. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel will stop the monthly transfer of tens of millions of dollars in tax rebates and other funds to the Palestinian Authority if a Hamas government is installed. With the latest comments, Israel showed no signs of backing down from the hard line it has taken since Hamas won a surprising landslide victory in Palestinian legislative elections last week. Hamas, which opposes the existence of Israel and has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bomb attacks, is expected to lead the next Palestinian government, hurting the chances for a peace deal. WASHINGTON Bush urged to disclose Abramoff contacts Republican lawmakers said yesterday that President Bush should publicly dis- close White House contacts with Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist who has pleaded guilty to felony charges in an influence-peddling case. Releasing the records would help eliminate suspicions that Abramoff, who helped raise more than $100,000 for Bush's re-election campaign, had undue influ- ence on the White House, the Republicans said. "I'm one who believes that more is better, in terms of disclosure and transpar- ency," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) "And so I'd be a big advocate for making records that are out there available." The president has refused to reveal how much access Abramoff had to the White House, but has said he does not know Abramoff personally. Bush has said federal prosecutors are welcome to see the records of Abramoff's contacts if they suspect something inappropriate, but he has not released them publicly. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), who appeared with Thune on "Fox News Sunday," said all White House correspondence, phone calls and meetings with Abramoff "absolutely" should be released. KATOWICE, Poland Polish roof collapse kills at least 66 Rescuers said they did not expect to find any more survivors or bodies yesterday under the twisted wreckage of an exhibition hall in southern Poland that collapsed during a racing pigeon show, killing at least 66 people and injuring 160. Rescue crews used hand tools for 20 hours in bitterly cold temperatures to carve through the sheet metal and snarled poles of the collapsed building so as not to risk harming any potential survivors. But Katowice fire chief Kazimierz Krzowski said yesterday that large machin- ery was being called in to tear down the rest of the building. "There is a low possibility that people are still trapped under there," Krzowski A WASHINGTON 'Eject him?"' Saddam said. "I am a judge and you are a defen- dant," Abdel-Rahman replied. "And you have violated order in the court. I am implementing the law." After two more defendants asked to leave, the trial continued - with only four defendants present and none of their original lawyers. The court-appointed lawyers declined opportunities to cross-examine the three witnesses, who all spoke of mass detentions and torture after the attempt on Saddam's life. Richard Dicker, the head of the International Justice Program at New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the failure to question the witnesses was "probably the most disturbing part of the day." "The events take us further away from the basic practices of fairness that are necessary in any trial and especially in a trial of this significance," he said. I U t4 W ental 4 %4 apust on CenltralC8~PS 1 } 9 1 t i - KImnberIee . Kareyr, D.D.S General Dentistry Cleaning & Exams, Bleaching, Cosmetic & Restorative Services, & Emergency Care I ,... -. 625 E. Liberty Ann Arbor, MI 734-668-661 2 (Corner of State) Sen. Obama criticizes filibuster tactic To more effectively oppose Supreme Court nominees in the future, Dem- ocrats need to convince the public "their values are at stake" rather than use stalling tactics to try to thwart the president, said a senator who opposes Samuel Alito's confirmation. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), predicted yester- day that an effort to try to block a final vote on Alito would fail today. That would clear the way for Senate approval tomorrow of the federal appeals court judge picked to succeed the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. - Compiled from Daily wire reports CORRECTIONS A story in last week's Statement magazine (Regent sells pizzas and helps children) incorrectly said that the Champions for Children campaign is raising funds to reno- vate C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. The campaign is actually fundraising for a new facility for the children's and women's hospitals at the University. Please report any error in the Daily to corrections@,michigandaily.com. I £ibijgau algY 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com 4 Major Insurance & VISA/MC Accepted DoNN M. 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