Hussein enters "not guilty" plea at trial
{{date|October 20, 2005}}

[[W:Saddam Hussein|Saddam Hussein]] pleaded "not guilty" at the opening of the [[w:Al-Dujail trial|al-Dujail trial]] on  Wednesday. The court recessed for 6 weeks during which time his defense will be prepared.

During the proceeding, Hussein argued that the judge was not appointed by him, and thus was not legitimate.  "I don't acknowledge this court."

The hearing convened 22 months after Hussein's capture. A tribunal of five Iraqi judges headed by [[w:Rizgar Mohammed Amin|Rizgar Mohammed Amin]], with the death penalty vested in them, will decide his sentence.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9756851/site/newsweek/ 
|title='I'm Not Guilty'
|author=Babak Dehghanpisheh
|pub=Newsweek
|date=October 19, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Saddam_Trial_The_Prosecution.html 
|title=Video clip seen as key in Saddam case
|author=Mariam Fam, AP writer
|pub=Seattle P.I.
|date=October 19, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,16977106%5E661,00.html 
|title=Saddam trial Q & A
|author=
|pub=Herald Sun
|date=October 20, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/19/saddam.color/ 
|title=Hussein trial plays as drama for the world
|author=
|pub=CNN International
|date=October 20, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,380332,00.html
|title=Hussein Goes on Trial Tomorrow, and Iraqis See a First Accounting
|author=John F. Burns
|pub=Spiegel Online
|date=October 17, 2005}}

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[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Saddam Hussein]]

[[de:Saddam-Prozess in Bagdad begonnen]]
[[es:Aplazado el juicio a Saddam Hussein]]
[[fr:Ouverture du procès de Saddam Hussein en Irak]]
[[ja:フセイン元大統領、特別法廷初公判おわる]]
Saddam Hussein pleaded "not guilty" at the opening of the al-Dujail trial on  Wednesday. The court recessed for 6 weeks during which time his defense will be prepared.

During the proceeding, Hussein argued that the judge was not appointed by him, and thus was not legitimate.  "I don't acknowledge this court."

The hearing convened 22 months after Hussein's capture. A tribunal of five Iraqi judges headed by Rizgar Mohammed Amin, with the death penalty vested in them, will decide his sentence.
Crime and law Iraq Middle East Saddam Hussein