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Saddam's lawyers doubt trial soon

AMMAN, Jordan, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Defense lawyers representing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said Sunday they doubt Iraqi official claims that his trial will soon start.

Jordanian defense lawyer Mohammad Najib al-Rashdan told United Press International statements by Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi stating Saddam's trial will begin next month are unlikely to materialize.

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Al-Rashdan, one of 24 lawyers defending the former Iraqi president, said problems have begun to arise in the Iraqi court that is set to hear the trial.

He noted the new judge appointed during Saddam's hearing recently resigned and his lawyers have so far been banned from meeting with their client in accordance with normal legal procedures.

The Jordanian attorney said Saddam's defense team intends to use recent comments by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, in which Annan said the war on Iraq was illegal, and, added the lawyer, "therefore everything that resulted from this war is also illegal."

Saddam Hussein and his regime were toppled by U.S. forces in April 2003

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