Saddam expelled from court as punch thrown

The judge at Saddam Hussein's genocide trial has expelled the ousted Iraqi leader from court and ordered the hearing to continue behind closed doors after an altercation between the two men.

Judge Mohammed al-Oreibi al-Khalifah threw Saddam out of the dock Tuesday after a dispute erupted over the former leader's attempt to read out a Koranic verse.

Saddam's co-defendant Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti demanded to be allowed to leave with his leader, branding the prosecutors "pimps and traitors", and punched a court bailiff who attempted to push him back into his seat.

He also was expelled.

A third defendant, Ali Hassan al-Majid, declared: "I want to see the sentence passed now. I wish to be executed and finish with this court."

AFP