 BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial said Monday four defense witnesses have been jailed on suspicion of perjury, drawing accusations from defense lawyers that the court was trying to intimidate witnesses.
| Like that never happened when Sammy was in charge. |
The defense lawyers said Iraqi soldiers beat several of the witnesses during their arrest May 31.
| Good. I don't get heartburn over these things, but I also don't eat Ethel's chili. |
Three of the witnesses testified last week that some of the 148 Shiites that Saddam and his seven co-defendants are accused of killing were still alive, defense lawyer Najib al-Nueimi told The Associated Press. The fourth told the court that chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi tried to bribe him to make up testimony against Saddam. "The court was surprised because it didn't expect the truth to be revealed this way," Saddam's top lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi said. The arrests, he said, "are a clear message to the defense witnesses and lawyers."
When lawyers complained at Monday's session about the arrests and beating, chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman retorted, "They committed perjury. Should I reward them?" He said he had ordered them held for investigation. |