Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Saddam Refuses to Enter Plea
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=123822D:3919ACA Former Iraqi leader
says he can not answer guilty or not because the list of charges is so
long





Saddam Hussein (file photo)Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has
refused to enter a plea after hearing the full, formal list of charges
against him related to the murder and torture of Shi'ites during a
1982 crackdown.

Saddam said he could not answer guilty or not because the list of
charges was so long. The judge then entered a plea of not-guilty and
dismissed Saddam's statement that he was still president of Iraq.

In violence Monday, four Iraqi teachers were killed in drive-by
shootings near Balad Ruz. The British military also says insurgents
fired mortars at a British base in Amara.

The U.S. military says its forces conducted several raids Saturday and
Sunday, killing 41 insurgents, including an al-Qaida operative.

Also, on Sunday, U.S. military officials say two American soldiers
died when their helicopter was shot down in Yusifiyah, near Baghdad.

  Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and
Reuters.


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