BAGHDAD, March 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The trial of Saddam Hussein and his seven codefendants was adjourned for three weeks after the toppled president and his half brother Barzan Ibrahim testified before the court on Wednesday.

Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein argues with Chief Judge Raouf Abdel Rahman during his trial in Baghdad March 15, 2006. (Xinhua)

    The trial, which started in October 2005, is due to resume on April 5, chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman said.

    About 20 minutes after Saddam began to testify, Abdel-Rahman ordered the session closed to the media, saying that Saddam was using his testimony to give political speeches.

    Wearing a dark suit, Saddam began his testimony by denouncing the trial as a "comedy" against himself and his comrades. He said that the recent sectarian violence triggered by the Feb.22 bombing of a Shiite holy shrine had pained him. He described those who destroyed the Samarra shrine as "criminals".

    He call on the Iraqi people to resist the U.S.-led occupation forces instead of killing each other.

    Abdel-Rahman asked Saddam to focus on the specific charges against him in the Dujail case.

    "Your rule has ended, now you are a defendant in a criminal case," Abdel-Rahman told him. "This is a criminal court, we are not interested in politics," he added.

    Saddam told the chief judge that he had no right to interrupt Iraq's president elected in "free and democratic" referendum." If it wasn't for America, not you nor your father could drag me here," Saddam countered.

    Earlier, Saddam's half brother and former intelligence chief Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti denied his role in the execution of 148 Shiite men after the toppled Iraqi president escaped assassination in Dujail in 1982.

    Saddam and seven of his associates could face death penalty if convicted of the charges of the Dujail massacre. Enditem