Roundup: Saddam Hussein trial resumes in Baghdad

The trial of the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and six of his aides on charges of genocide against Kurds in 1980s resumed in Baghdad on Thursday.

The 18th session began with attendance of Saddam and six other codefendants who were believed to be involved in the Anfal (Spoils of War) military campaign, which the chief prosecutor said left some 182,000 people dead or missing.

During the session, witnesses recalled their suffering during the detention time in a desert prison in southern Iraq.

The first witness, 79-year-old Abdullah Said Muhammed, told the court that his village was attacked by chemical weapons, saying that "We ran away from poison gas and fled the area to a nearby village."

After the bombing, the Iraqi forces arrested the fleeing people and threw them to prison, where they suffered bad sanitary conditions, Said noted.

Said continued that up to 1,800 people died in Nugrat al- Salaman prison during the four months of his detention, saying that "I myself helped bury 20 dead prisoners, including eight of my relatives."

The second witness, Baqer Qader Muhammad, 72, also described his suffering in the Nugrat al-Salman prison, saying he and many other detainees were infected with diarrhea due to dirty water offered to them.

Both the witnesses made their complaints against Saddam, his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid and all those involved in the Anfal offensive.

The court then adjourned to Oct. 30 to give the defendants enough time to contact their lawyers.

"We decided to adjourn the session on Anfal case until Oct. 30 to give the defendants time to contact their lawyers," Chief Judge Muhammed Ureybi said.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki expected the trial against Saddam would not last for a long time.

"God willing, the trial will not continue for a long time and shortly a death sentence will be passed against his crimes, along with his aides and the criminals who worked with him," al-Maliki said after meeting with Shiite spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali al- Sistani.

"With his execution, those betting on returning Saddam to power under the banner of the Baath Party will loose," al-Maliki added.

All the main charges in Anfal carry death penalty.

Saddam is also awaiting a possible death sentence verdict for a separate case involving killing of some 148 Shiites.

Source: Xinhua