The lawyers, including former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark, walked out after the chief judge refused to hear their complaints immediately. Saddam stood up, declared the court was appointed by US occupiers and shouted ?Long live the Arab state.?

After a 40-day adjournment to give counsel more time to prepare a defence for the former president and seven associates accused of crimes against humanity, the judge had granted a further delay last week to find replacements for defence lawyers who had been assassinated or fled Iraq in fear of their lives.

Saddam, tieless in a white shirt and dark suit, entered the court, which opened about an hour later than expected at just after 11 a.m. (0800 GMT), and greeted his co-defendants. From the defence counsel bench, lead lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi began a motion questioning the court?s legitimacy.

Up to five witnesses were set to testify as the prosecution pushes ahead with a case criticised at home and abroad. The trial, which opened on Oct. 19, is held in the heavily fortified Green Zone government compound in central Baghdad, which once housed Saddam?s own presidential palace complex. Security has been a major concern, not least since two defence lawyers have been killed, prompting last Monday?s week-long adjournment to find replacements.

?The trial, which opened on Oct. 19, is held in the heavily fortified Green Zone government compound in central Baghdad, which once housed Saddam?s own presidential palace complex.?

Central Baghdad?s streets were gridlocked by security measures. Iraq?s national security adviser said on Sunday that a plot to rocket the courthouse had been thwarted when weapons were found in Baghdad, although he gave no details.

On the eve of its resumption, a member of the five-judge panel stood down citing potential conflict of interest because one of Saddam?s co-defendants had been linked to the killing of the judge?s brother, court officials said. An alternate judge took his place yesterday, the officials said. The session may go on for up to three days, with up to 11 witnesses appearing. Eight will have their identities concealed in one way or another, a practice that could raise doubt about the defence?s access to witnesses. At the second court session held on Nov. 28, proceedings were adjourned for a week to give two of the eight defendants time to find new defence attorneys after two lawyers were assassinated and another fled the country.

The UN representative for human rights in Iraq said on Sunday Saddam?s trial would never meet international standards of fairness and transparency.

?Weakness in the system of administration of justice, in addition to the antecedents surrounding the establishment of this tribunal, will never be able to produce the kind of process that would be able to satisfy international standards,? John Pace told Reuters in an interview. Further delays in the trial are expected ahead of Dec. 15 parliamentary elections.

Saddam?s defence team has already filed another motion declaring that, as former president, he has sovereign immunity and a third motion asking for more time to prepare. Chief judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin has not ruled on any of those motions. International observers have raised concerns about the court, which operates under a mix of Iraq?s criminal code, some international statutes and others written specifically for the tribunal, which was originally formed under US occupation.

They are also worried about the amount of time the defence has had to prepare for a complex case involving allegations of crimes against humanity connected to the deaths of 148 men after an attempt on Saddam?s life in 1982.