The trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein entered its fourth day on Tuesday, with a female witnessed identified only as "Witness A" for her protection, took the stand, giving testimony about her detention under Saddam's regime.
Speaking behind a curtain and with electronic distortion of her voice, the woman broke down in tears and revealed to the court how she was forced to strip before prison guards. However, her testimony was cut short as the court's sound equipment failed, and Saddam's defense team complained that they could not understand the evidence.
She said she was moved from one prison to another over four years during Saddam's rule, and had spent a winter at the Abu Ghraib jail in western Baghdad before being driven through the desert to another jail. "I saw camels and I was envious because they were free," she was quoted as saying by Reuters.
She cried as she told of being forced by an interrogator soon after her detention to strip in custody while five officers watched. "I was forced to take my clothes off. They lifted my legs up, they tied my hands, they beat me with cables and (gave me) electric shocks," she stated.
She was then thrown into a small room with only red lighting, where she used her shoes for a pillow, she testified. "From a small window, they gave us two loaves of bread," she said. "After all that torture, do you think we could eat?"
She gave details how a deaf and mute male relative was held by his penis and mocked in front of women and children. At other times, men would be lined up and threatened with beating unless they ran. Guards also stopped the women from helping one woman give birth, even when the baby was stuck between her legs, she said.
The resumption of proceedings on Tuesday followed protests on the part of Saddam's defense attorneys who claimed that the trial was illegitimate, as the court and the current Iraqi leadership, was not legitimate. Saddam has reportedly greeting the court with the defiant phrase: "Good morning to all those who respect the law."
Gruesome reports of torture surfaced in the trial on Monday by the first prosecution witness, Ahmed Hassan.
Hassan, a prior detainee under Saddam, gave graphic reports which included children that were left to die, and a meat grinder used on humans.
"I swear by God I walked by a room and on my left I saw a grinder with blood coming out of it and human hair underneath, "he said, according to Reuters.
Hassan was 15 years old when he and his family were taken into custody after the assassination attempt on the life of the Iraqi leader in the town of Dujail in 1982.
Saddam and seven others are charged with the murder of some 140 people in the town, and crimes against humanity. They have all maintained their innocence in the event.
"My brother was given electric shocks while my 77-year-old father watched," Hassan said." He added that "Pregnant women gave birth in the prison. Their babies died."
The trial of the former Iraqi leader resumed on Monday after weeks of stalling following the search for replacement defense attorneys after two were killed and one fled Iraq, as well as claims on the part of the defense team that the court trying Saddam and his co-defendants is illegitimate.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
