Judge: No evidence Saddam was beaten

Tortured witnesses describe ordeal
Witnesses on Wednesday graphically described how their captors administered electric shocks and used molten plastic to rip the skin off prisoners in a crackdown following an assassination attempt against Saddam.

Saddam then grabbed center stage with claims that Americans beat and “tortured” him and other defendants while in detention.

A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad called Saddam’s allegations “completely unfounded” but said “we are prepared to investigate.”

“Beyond that, we have no interest in being a part of what are clearly courtroom antics aimed at disrupting the legal process,” Lt. Col. Barry Johnson said.

The trial’s chief prosecutor, Jaafar al-Mousawi, said if authorities found evidence of abuse Saddam could be transferred to the physical custody of Iraqi troops.

Prayer in the courtroom
Saddam on Wednesday also interrupted witness testimony to ask the judge if the court could take a break for prayer. The judge ordered the trial to continue.

About 10 minutes later, Saddam swung to the left, closed his eyes and repeatedly bowed his head in prayer, the first time he has done that in court.

Muslims are required to pray five times a day at specific times.

In the 1980’s, Iraq under Saddam was one of the most secular Arab states in the Middle East and Baghdad had some of the most vibrant nightlife in the region.

Following Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and as U.N.-imposed sanctions ground down the Iraqi economy, Saddam outwardly became more pious. He was seen praying and launching campaigns to reinforce the faith. Bars were restricted and nightlife became more muted.

Critics said his praying in court was a further effort to reach out to increasingly conservative Iraqis.

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