Saddam trial resumes in Baghdad

The trial of Iraq's ousted leader Saddam Hussein and six of his aides resumed in Baghdad on Monday on charges of genocide against Kurds in Operation Anfal in 1988.

Saddam and other codefendants were all present at the courtroom while the defense team announced they would continue to boycott the trial.

The trial was adjourned last month for two weeks to allow the defendants to sort out their defense lawyers.

Since judge Abdullah al-Amiri was replaced by Muhammed Ureybi for allegedly being biased toward the defendants, the defense lawyers have been boycotting, and the defendants were represented only by court-appointed lawyers.

Saddam, his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali, " and five former commanders face charges of genocide for their role in Anfal, which the chief prosecutor said left 182,000 people dead or missing.

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

All the main charges in Anfal carry the death penalty.

Source: Xinhua