Baghdad, Iraq – One day before Saddam Hussein’s trial resumes, court officials named a new chief judge Monday.
The change raised new questions about the fairness of the process and provided another sign of disarray in a trial already marked by delays, assassinations and chaotic courtroom outbursts by the former Iraqi ruler.
The new chief judge will be Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman, who like his predecessor is a Kurd. Abdel-Rahman serves on a backup panel and has been following the trial, officials said.
Rizgar Mohammed Amin submitted his resignation as chief judge Jan. 15 after complaints by politicians and officials that he failed to maintain control of the proceedings.
After Amin refused to withdraw his resignation, court officials said he would be replaced by his deputy, Saeed al-Hammash, a Shiite. However, the government commission responsible for purging members of Hussein’s Baath Party complained last week that al-Hammash should not serve as chief judge because of his former membership in the former ruling party.
Al-Hammash denied having joined the Baath Party, and a U.S. official said Sunday that there was nothing in his background to prevent him from serving.
On Monday, however, court official Raid Juhi said al-Hammash was being transferred off the case entirely and that Abdel-Rahman would be the new interim chief judge. Juhi insisted the move was not a result of the Baath membership allegation.
Hussein’s legal team said it was more concerned about alleged government pressure on the court than who serves as chief judge.
“We don’t care who is the presiding judge,” said lawyer Khamis al-Obeidi. “But we will pull the rug from under his feet if he succumbs to the influence of the government.”
