Saddam's lawyers talk to judges, no sign of Saddam
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-07 16:27

Defence lawyers and the judges in Saddam Hussein's trial held closed talks in chambers ahead of Wednesday's hearing but Saddam himself was not present.

No specifics were provided on what was being discussed in the closed, out-of-court session, visible but not audible to reporters in the gallery. At the end of Tuesday's hearing Saddam told the judges to "go to hell" and appeared to threaten a boycott, saying he would not attend an "unfair trial".

A court official said merely that procedural issues needed to be worked out and said that if they were resolved then the trial would resume later on Wednesday with an open session.

In previous sessions, defence lawyers have entered the court shortly before Saddam and his co-defendants, and there have not been procedural discussions.