World briefs 10/31/06

Saddam : Court violated law by appointing lawyers

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Saddam Hussein accused the chief judge in his genocide trial of violating the law Monday by appointing defense attorneys against his wishes after the ex-president's lawyer walked out of the proceedings. Attorney Khalil al-Dulaimi stormed from the courtroom shortly after he had ended a monthlong boycott of the trial in which Saddam and six others are charged for their alleged roles in Operation Anfal, a crackdown on Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s. Al-Dulaimi submitted a dozen motions, including one to allow foreign lawyers to attend the trial without permission of the court. Chief judge Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa denied most of them. That prompted the defense lawyer to announce that "I'm withdrawing" from the trial. "I allow you to withdraw. Go ahead," the judge responded.

Tehran warns of firm response to U.N. sanctions

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's firebrand president warned on Monday that his country would respond with an "appropriate and firm response" to any U.N. sanction over its nuclear program. The comments by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came as key United Nations Security Council members were considering a draft European resolution that would impose punishing measures on Iran over its disputed nuclear program. "Efforts by the big powers will only incite anger and hatred," the hard-line leader told a large crowd on the outskirts of Tehran. Meanwhile, Mohamed ElBaradei, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, said at the U.N. that his organization has not been able to verify that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful. Tehran insists its nuclear efforts are solely geared at peacefully producing electricity.

-- From wire reports