Excerpts from previous updates, by subject:

Removed on August 7, 2006

Political environment

Saddam Hussein appeared for the first day of his trail on October 19, 2005, pleading not guilty to the charges against him. Hussein and his three co-defendants are being tried for their role in the 1982 massacre of more than 150 people in the Shiite town of Dujail. In March 2006, the chief prosecutor introduced documents indicating Hussein ordered the executions. Hussein admitted he ordered the trials of the Shiites, and claimed his actions were a lawful response to an assassination attempt.

In January 2006, chief judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin resigned amid criticism that he allowed too many disruptive outbursts by the defendants. Amin was replaced by Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman who has cracked down on the defendants’ antics, but has been unable to curtail the outbursts altogether. Hussein has repeatedly hurled insults at the new chief judge. Barzan Ibrahim, Hussein’s half brother and co-defendant, showed up one day clad only in long underwear, and sat on the floor with his back to the judge.