BAGHDAD, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, being tried on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide, was again barred from the courtroom Tuesday.
It was the third time in a week that Saddam has been ordered from the courtroom by Judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa. The former Iraqi president claimed a witness's testimony and the court itself were unjust. Khalifa responded that the court was "not a political arena," and said Saddam should be taken away, the BBC reported.
Saddam and six other men are charged with crimes against humanity, with the former leader and Ali Hassan al-Majid also charged with genocide, stemming from an attack in the 1980s that killed tens of thousands of Kurds. The defendants could be sentenced to death if found guilty.
Defendant Sultan Hashim al-Tai was also ejected from the court Tuesday for engaging in a shouting match with the judge, CNN said.
The judge forced Saddam to leave the court Monday after Saddam complained about his confinement in a metal cage during court proceedings, the BBC reported.
The former leader's defense team has boycotted the trial since the departure of the previous chief judge, Abdullah al-Amiri.
