Saddam Hussein left the courtroom few minutes after his trial and seven codefendants resumed on Sunday to protest at the proceedings of the trial.

Rahman, ordered Saddam to obey the court, but Saddam reacted angrily that he led the country for 35 years.

" I am the judge, you are the defendant, you have to obey me," said the judge.

Saddam answered "you are an Iraqi you cannot order me like that. I led you for 35 years."

After further debate Saddam walked out followed by two codefendants, including the former vice president Taha Yasin Ramadan.

The judge earlier threw out Saddam's half brother Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, who was ejected by court guards shortly after proceedings resumed with a new chief judge.

The trial of Saddam and seven of his codefendants on charges of crimes against humanity resumed earlier on Sunday with a new Kurdish Judge presiding over the case.

Judge Raouf Abdul Rahman, who will be presiding over the eighth session after the court appointed him a new chief judge to replace Rizgar Muhammed Amin in the trial.

Saddam and seven of his aides are facing charges of ordering the killing of more than 140 Shiites in the town of Dujail, north of Baghdad, following a assassination attempt against Saddam in 1982.

Source: Xinhua