Saddam's Trial: Behind the Scene

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The courtroom includes galleries for the media and spectators--usually leading government figures and international observers. The proceedings are broadcast live on Iraqi television. Among ordinary Iraqis, interest in the trial is likely to wane as long as Saddam remains absent from the courtroom. And the grinding pace of Iraqi justice means the trial may drag on for months. "If you want to evict someone from a house, you need between two months and a year," says Ali Hamza, a lawyer in Baghdad. "So how long will it take in this case when you have an unlimited number of witnesses?" At this point, even those involved in the trial don't know the answer.