Saddam court turmoil, new judge branded Baathist

reutersalertnet: The Iraqi court trying Saddam Hussein was thrown into fresh confusion on Wednesday when a senior official denounced the new chief judge as a member of Saddam's banned Baath party who should be barred from office.

"(Sayeed) al-Hamashi is the object of a debaathification inquiry," Ali Faisal, executive manager of the independent Debaathification Commission, told Reuters. "His presence in this court violates the statutes ... and he must be replaced."

He said Hamashi's position came to the Commission's notice when he was named by officials as taking over after the current chief judge resigned, complaining of government pressure on the U.S.-sponsored tribunal to be tougher on Saddam in court.

Several court officers stepped down before the trial began last year over links with the Baath party but fellow lawyers, including the chief trial prosecutor, defended Hamashi's record.

U.S. President George W. Bush said, however, the trial was on track. Meeting alleged Iraqi victims in the White House he said that in the trial this year the world would see "the butcherer ... get his due justice under rule of law". Read more