The trial of Saddam Hussein was adjourned on Thursday until Feb. 13 after a session in which the judge presided with none of the defendants present. Two prosecution witnesses were allowed to testify.
Saddam and the four other defendants refused to enter the courtroom for the second day in a row Thursday. The trial judge, Raouf Abdel-Rahman, barred the remaining three defendants for “disorderly behavior,” The Associated Press reported from Baghdad.
Abdel-Rahman announced at the start of the session, which began more than 90 minutes late, that the three defendants had caused “chaos” outside the courtroom. He did not elaborate.On Wednesday, after several hours of trying to persuade Saddam and four other defendants to go to the courtroom, Iraqi court officials gave up, and Abdel-Rahman announced that the trial would continue without them.
