A LAWYER for Saddam Hussein today said he had fled Iraq following an violent ambush in which his colleague was killed.
Thamir al-Khuzaie was injured in the attack, which took place on November 8.
Mr al-Khuzaie is now appealing to the leader of the Gulf state of Qatar to grant him asylum from a secret location.
"I was only a lawyer who practiced his profession in Iraq. Yet I was subjected to an assassination attempt and to danger that might have even touched my family," Mr al-Khuzaie said.
"So I decided to leave the country."
He said that he has written to the ruler of Qatar asking for "humanitarian asylum" for him and his family "because we are under the constant danger every minute and second."
Mr al-Khuzaie represented two of Saddam’s seven co-defendants
in the trial, which will resume on November 28.
Saddam’s personal lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, broke off dealings with the Iraqi special court following the killing of lawyer Saadoun al-Janabi, whose body was found two days after the opening session.
About 1,100 Iraqi lawyers involved in the case behind the scenes also announced they were quitting the defence team because of security fears.
Nonetheless, officials of the Iraqi High Tribunal say they will go ahead with the second session as planned and will appoint replacements if defense attorneys don’t appear.
Government spokesman Laith Kubba said the defence team had twice rejected offers to move them into the heavily guarded Green Zone for the duration of the trial.
He brushed aside suggestions that the trial should be moved out of the country and accused the defense of using the security issue to try to subvert the proceedings.
Al-Khuzaie insisted that he was simply practicing his profession and did not take the case because of his own political views. He represented former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and Saddam’s half brother, Barzan Ibrahim.
"My colleagues and I were simply professional lawyers who have nothing to do with politics," Mr al-Khuzaie said.
"But the politicians have put us inside politics. We were only lawyers and no court can be held without us. We are one of the pillars of the court. No trial will be deemed as legal without our participation."
Saddam and the seven others are charged with crimes against humanity in the 1982 deaths of Shi'ite Muslims executed after a failed assassination attempt against the since-deposed Iraqi ruler.
They could face hanging if convicted.
