Saddam Hussein testified on Wednesday for the first time at his trial, and the judge closed the court after the ex-dictator began a speech calling for Iraqis to end sectarian violence and fight American troops instead

Even as the judge repeatedly yelled at Saddam to stop making what he called political speeches, the deposed leader read from a prepared text, insisting he was still Iraq's president.

"Let the (Iraqi) people unite and resist the invaders and their backers. Don't fight among yourselves," he said, praising the insurgency. "In my eyes, you are the resistance to the American invasion."

Finally, chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman ordered the session closed to the public, telling journalists to leave the chamber. The delayed video feed also was cut.
"The court has decided to turn this into a secret and closed session," he said.
After nearly two hours, reporters were called back into the court, where Saddam sat alone in the defendants' pen before the judge.

The former Iraqi leader then refused to answer questions from the chief prosecutor, demanding to see a copy of his testimony given to investigators before the trial began. Prosecutors agreed and said they would question Saddam in the next session.

Abdel-Rahman then adjourned the trial until April 5.

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