January 29 2006 19:30

The already troubled trial of Saddam Hussein descended into chaos on Sunday as a new head judge’s attempt to assert his authority sparked a walk-out by the former Iraqi president and his defence team and the forcible removal of another defendant.

The courtroom theatrics were unusual even by the disorderly standards of the case, which opened in October. The incidents, together with the resignation of the previous lead judge two weeks ago, are likely to polarise Iraqis further.

Raouf Rashid Abd al-Rahman, the new judge, announced at the beginning of the session that he would run the trial differently from his predecessor, barring "political speeches" and declaring that "if any defendant crosses the lines he will be taken out of the room".

His predecessor, Rizgar Amin, had been criticised by some Shia as weak for giving Mr Hussein and the other seven defendants too much freedom to disrupt proceedings. Calls for his dismissal were condemned by the New York-based Human Rights Watch as "nothing less than an attack on judicial independence", but attempts to reinstate him failed.

"I am the judge and you are the defendant," Mr Abd al-Rahman told Mr Hussein as he checked an outburst by the former Iraqi president, who complained: "This is an American court and it’s rules are American. . . you cannot force me to stay."

His co-defendant Barzan al-Tikriti responded to the new judge’s firm line by calling the court "the daughter of a whore". After several more exchanges, guards dragged Mr Tikriti yelling out of the courtroom. The defence team walked out in protest and Mr Hussein followed after refusing to accept court-appointed lawyers.

The trial, which is expected soon to move on to witnesses and documents aimed at proving the defendants’ individual culpability for the repression, was adjourned until Wednesday.