Deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, his defense team and several co-defendants have walked out of court in protest, following heated exchanges with the new presiding judge.
Chaos erupted in the courtroom almost immediately after the resumption of Saddam's trial early today-Sunday.
Former intelligence chief Barzan Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, a co-defendant and Saddam's half brother, was led away by court guards after defying the judge's order to stop delivering a lengthy statement about his health. Shortly afterward, Saddam, his defense team and two other co-defendants walked out to protest the proceedings.
New presiding judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman appointed four new defense lawyers and began hearing testimony from a prosecution witness.
The trial resumed today after a five day postponement due to, what the court said was, the absence of witnesses.
The former Iraqi leader and seven co-defendants are accused of killing 148 people in the town of Dujail after a failed assassination attempt against Saddam in 1982.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
