SH_trial - 29-25-2006 excerpt 1
BBC - Last Updated: Monday, 29 May 2006, 21:01 GMT 22:01 UK
Saddam witnesses say Dujail fair
Defence witnesses at the trial of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein have testified that death sentences handed down to 148 Shia men were fair.
The men from Dujail were convicted for their alleged involvement in a 1982 assassination attempt on the ex-leader.
Saddam Hussein and seven others are on trial over the deaths of the men, which prosecutors claim were unfair and carried out after a flawed trial.
Both Saddam Hussein and his co-accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
'Ample chance to talk'
Monday's first witness was a former Revolutionary Court lawyer, who appeared on behalf of Awad al-Bandar, one of Saddam Hussein's co-accused.
Mr Bandar was the chief judge when the court sentenced the 148 Shias to death over their alleged involvement in the presidential assassination attempt.
"The court allowed defendants to commission a lawyer and if a defendant was not able to hire a lawyer then the court would appoint one for him," the witness, speaking from behind a curtain to protect his identity, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying.
"Mr Bandar took the humanitarian aspect into consideration, and he was fair and made all judgements according to law."
'Show trial'
The second witness had once been a defendant before the Revolutionary Court. He described how he had been acquitted by the judge at the time.
"I didn't want a lawyer because I was innocent but the judge gave me sufficient time to bring a defence lawyer to defend me," said the anonymous witness.
"I still remember he called me 'my son' and I was just a defendant."
For his part Mr Bandar has insisted that the Dujail trial was fair, despite admitting there was only one defence lawyer for all 148 accused and that the entire trial only lasted 16 days.
During the prosecution stage of the trial of Saddam Hussein and his colleagues, prosecution lawyers argued that the Dujail trial had been a flawed show trial, in which children were among those convicted.
'Say hello'
Some of the witnesses took the opportunity to restate their loyalty to the former Iraqi president, says the BBC's Ian Pannell.
One witness asked if he could offer greetings to Saddam Hussein from his tribe and family, but was reminded by the judge that he was in a courtroom, not a Baath party meeting.
Saddam Hussein chuckled and, our correspondent says, said, "Well done, well done. Say hello to all of them."
The judge also threw out a member of the public after the defence complained that the man was a member of a Shia militia who had threatened lawyers in the past.
The defence stage of the trial began on 15 May.
Saddam witnesses say Dujail fair
Defence witnesses at the trial of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein have testified that death sentences handed down to 148 Shia men were fair.
The men from Dujail were convicted for their alleged involvement in a 1982 assassination attempt on the ex-leader.
Saddam Hussein and seven others are on trial over the deaths of the men, which prosecutors claim were unfair and carried out after a flawed trial.
Both Saddam Hussein and his co-accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
'Ample chance to talk'
Monday's first witness was a former Revolutionary Court lawyer, who appeared on behalf of Awad al-Bandar, one of Saddam Hussein's co-accused.
Mr Bandar was the chief judge when the court sentenced the 148 Shias to death over their alleged involvement in the presidential assassination attempt.
"The court allowed defendants to commission a lawyer and if a defendant was not able to hire a lawyer then the court would appoint one for him," the witness, speaking from behind a curtain to protect his identity, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying.
"Mr Bandar took the humanitarian aspect into consideration, and he was fair and made all judgements according to law."
'Show trial'
The second witness had once been a defendant before the Revolutionary Court. He described how he had been acquitted by the judge at the time.
"I didn't want a lawyer because I was innocent but the judge gave me sufficient time to bring a defence lawyer to defend me," said the anonymous witness.
"I still remember he called me 'my son' and I was just a defendant."
For his part Mr Bandar has insisted that the Dujail trial was fair, despite admitting there was only one defence lawyer for all 148 accused and that the entire trial only lasted 16 days.
During the prosecution stage of the trial of Saddam Hussein and his colleagues, prosecution lawyers argued that the Dujail trial had been a flawed show trial, in which children were among those convicted.
'Say hello'
Some of the witnesses took the opportunity to restate their loyalty to the former Iraqi president, says the BBC's Ian Pannell.
One witness asked if he could offer greetings to Saddam Hussein from his tribe and family, but was reminded by the judge that he was in a courtroom, not a Baath party meeting.
Saddam Hussein chuckled and, our correspondent says, said, "Well done, well done. Say hello to all of them."
The judge also threw out a member of the public after the defence complained that the man was a member of a Shia militia who had threatened lawyers in the past.
The defence stage of the trial began on 15 May.
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