Defiant Saddam Hussein's first court appearance

(1 Jul 2004) VIDEO VETTED BY US MILITARY

SHOTLIST
1. Mid shot judge
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President:
''The occupation of Kuwait, the seventh charge, regrettably that this has been aroused by an Iraqi. What law you are talking about? A law attempts to try Saddam Hussein because he stood in the face of Kuwaitis who said that they were going to make the Iraqi lady sell herself for ten dinars in the street. And we fought a battle for the honour of the Iraqis and to defend them and revive the historic rights and fought those dogs (referring to Kuwaitis).''
3. Wider shot Saddam Hussein and judge
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President:
"Please allow me not to sign until the lawyers are present.''
5. Mid shot Saddam
6. Close up badge on Iraqi policeman on guard in court room
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President:
"Is it possible to raise accusations against an official figure and this figure be treated apart from the official guarantees stipulated by the constitution and the law? Where is this law upon which you are conducting investigations? This is the pivot of the fundamental subject."
8. Mid shot judge
9. Saddam Hussein being led from court

STORYLINE

A defiant Saddam Hussein rejected charges of war crimes and genocide in a court appearance on Thursday, telling a judge "this is all theatre, the real criminal is Bush."

Saddam was handcuffed when brought to the court but the shackles were removed for the 30-minute arraignment at Camp Victory, one of his former palaces on the outskirts of Baghdad.

"I am Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq," Saddam twice said, according to a reporter in an official media pool.

He was alternately downcast and defiant, becoming more animated in his exchanges with the judge as the hearing went on.

Saddam appeared most agitated when the subject came to the invasion of Kuwait - one of the broad charges against him.

"The armed forces went to Kuwait," Saddam said. "Is it possible to raise accusations against an official figure and this figure be treated apart from the official guarantees stipulated by the constitution and the law? Where is this law upon which you are conducting investigations?"

He also said the invasion was carried out "for the Iraqi people." When he referred to the Kuwaitis as "dogs," the judge admonished him for using such language in a court of law.

In his first public appearance since he was captured seven months ago, Saddam refused to sign a list of charges against him unless a lawyer was present, and he questioned the court's jurisdiction.

"Please allow me not to sign until the lawyers are present. ... Anyhow, when you take a procedure to bring me here again, present me with all these papers with the presence of lawyers. Why would you behave in a manner that we might call hasty later on?" he said.

The seven broad charges against Saddam are the killing of religious figures in 1974; gassing of Kurds in Halabja in 1988; killing the Kurdish Barzani clan in 1983; killing members of political parties in the last 30
years; the 1986-88 "Anfal" campaign of displacing Kurds; the suppression of
the 1991 uprisings by Kurds and Shiites; and the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

A formal indictment with specific charges is expected later, said Salem Chalabi, director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal. Those were expected to include war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The trial is not expected until 2005.

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