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Saddam questioned over repression
 Saddam Hussein appears in court in video footage released last week. RELATEDSPECIAL REPORT
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YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSBAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Saddam Hussein was called to a hearing where he was questioned about the 1991 repression of a Shiite-led uprising in southern Iraq after the Gulf War, a court official told CNN on Friday. Judge Raid Juhi, of the Iraqi Special Tribunal set up to try the jailed ex-leader, said Saddam answered questions in Thursday's session, more than 30 minutes long. The former president attended the session alone. A trial date for the former dictator will be announced soon for Saddam's alleged role in a 1982 incident, in which Shiite Muslims in the village of Dujail north of Baghdad were massacred. Juhi said he expected to conclude the criminal investigation soon into the alleged crackdown, as well as Saddam's campaign in the late 1980s to force Iraqi Kurds from wide areas of the north. Saddam's appearance in court came a week after he ridiculed Iraq's new government and decried his lack of access to counsel in the war crimes cases against him. "By law, a lawyer should be with the defendant," Saddam said, in video that was released of the legal proceedings. "Is it fair that the lawyer cannot see the defendant except in court sessions?" Critics of Saddam's regime have said the ousted leader would have the kinds of legal rights at trial that he never gave citizens during his reign. The video footage -- first broadcast on Al-Arabiya TV but also released to CNN -- had poor audio quality but could be heard well enough to reveal an aging but confident man. Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based Arabic-language network, said the hearing took place July 21. Earlier this month, the Iraqi Special Tribunal brought its first charges against the former dictator in connection with a series of executions in 1982 after an assassination attempt against him north of Baghdad. No trial date has been set. (Full story) Saddam's attorneys have said that he should not be tried for anything because he is immune to all charges under the Iraqi constitution as it was written under his rule. He has been in custody since U.S. troops captured him in December 2003. In the video, Saddam appeared defiant, although his voice sounded frail and a bit tired. He was bearded and wore a white shirt and gray jacket. The official presiding over the session tried to explain to him that it was a hearing and that he was in the custody of the Iraqi government. Saddam interrupted, asking, "Which government?" The official attempted to answer, but Saddam said, "I am detained and this is a game. ... I am detained by the Iraqi government, which is appointed by the Americans." Saddam continued to interrupt the session several times. At one point, the presiding official raised his voice to quiet the former ruler. When that did not work, he lifted his hand and gestured for Saddam to stop speaking. In what appeared to be a reading of the charges, the phrase "expropriation of property belonging to Iraqi Kurds and Shiite Muslims" could be heard. The video also showed Saddam reviewing and signing documents on his lap. CNN Producers Enes Dulami and Cal Perry contributed to this report. Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. 
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