SADDAM HUSSEIN APPEARED IN COURT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS HUNGER STRIKE AND HOSPITALIZATION, LOOKING THINNER AND COMPLAINING THAT HE HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO THE CHAMBER AGAINST HIS WILL. «I WAS BROUGHT AGAINST MY WILL DIRECTLY FROM THE HOSPITAL,» SADDAM TOLD THE CHIEF JUDGE. THE OUSTED PRESIDENT MADE A BRIEF STATEMENT BEGINNING WITH A VERSE FROM THE QURAN BEFORE A COURT-APPOINTED ATTORNEY BEGAN DELIVERING THE FINAL SUMMATION ON HIS BEHALF. «IF YOU WERE A REAL IRAQI, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT YOUR COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH EXTRAORDINARY CONDITIONS,» SADDAM TOLD THE COURT. «WE NOT ONLY RESIST THIS OCCUPATION. WE DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. WE DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE DECSIONS IT HAS MADE, INCLUDING APPOINTING THE SO-CALLED GOVERNMENT AND THIS COURT YOU REPRESENT.» SADDAM WAS LAST IN COURT JUNE 19 WHEN CHIEF PROSECUTOR JAAFAR AL-MOUSSAWI ASKED THE COURT TO IMPOSE THE DEATH PENALTY ON THE FORMER RULER FOR HIS ROLE IN THE DEATHS OF SHIITE MUSLIMS IN DUJAIL FOLLOWING A 1982 ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST HIM, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. HE WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL SUNDAY ON THE 17TH DAY OF A HUNGER STRIKE LAUNCHED TO PROTEST THE TRIAL AND DEMAND BETTER SECURITY FOR THE DEFENSE TEAM FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION OF THREE OF ITS MEMBERS. SADDAM AND SEVEN CO-DEFENDANTS HAVE BEEN ON TRIAL SINCE OCT. 19 IN THE DUJAIL CASE. THE COURT IS EXPECTED TO ADJOURN FOLLOWING FINAL SUMMATIONS FOR ALL EIGHT DEFENDANTS AND THEN RENDER A VERDICT, POSSIBLY IN MID-AUGUST.
