Saddam’s defense team is making a claim of assault on the former tyrant and underwear model.
Members of Saddam Hussein’s Jordan-based defence team claimed that the former Iraqi president was attacked during a court appearance last week, a claim immediately disputed by the chief investigating judge of the tribunal.
A man burst out from those gathered in the court room and tried to hit Saddam as the ousted leader was leaving the courtroom at the end of a 45-minute hearing on Thursday, Saddam’s legal team said in a statement.
“There was an exchange of blows between the man and the president,” the statement said, also claiming that the judge overseeing the hearing did nothing to stop the assault.
The U.S. immediately denied that any such event occurred.
However, a spokeswoman for the US military unit charged with overseeing the custody of prisoners including Saddam, says no such incident took place.
“Nothing like that happened with Saddam whatsoever,” Lieutenant Kristy Miller said.
The US military is in charge of Saddam’s physical custody, although he is in Iraqi legal custody.
Lieutenant Miller says that as far as she knows Saddam almost never leaves US military sight.
Officials at the Iraqi Special Tribunal, the court set up to try the former president and other senior members of his now defunct Baath Party, were not able to be reached for comment.
My guess: a ploy by the defense, a delaying tactic that may be the first sign of desperation.