The war crimes trial of Saddam Hussein and seven former colleagues
is due to resume in Baghdad, two weeks after he boycotted the court.
Saddam Hussein has regularly complained about court proceedings
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Iraq's former president is expected to appear in court, despite refusing to take the stand two weeks ago.
More witnesses are scheduled to testify on the alleged murder of 148 Shia Muslims in Dujail village in 1982.
The new court session will be the first since millions of Iraqis voted in parliamentary elections.
Saddam Hussein would keep his court date, said chief
prosecutor Jaafar al-Mousawi and members of the defence team quoted by
the Associated Press.
Torture tales
The court is scheduled to hear the testimony of five new witnesses, but not all may be called to the stand.
The trial has been marked by protests against the court and frequent interruptions for legal arguments.
Several witnesses have already described their version of events at Dujail.
Some spoke from behind a curtain, giving graphic testimony of torture in Iraqi prisons.
So far Saddam Hussein has maintained a defiant attitude,
refusing to acknowledge that he is no longer the president of Iraq and
demanding better treatment from his American jailors.
Defence worries
The trial was scheduled to resume amid fresh concerns over the security of the defence team.
Ramsey Clark, a former US attorney general on Saddam
Hussein's defence team, has not returned to Baghdad for this session
because of security fears.
On Tuesday, defence lawyer and former Qatari Justice
Minister Najib al-Nuami said he was jostled and threatened by crowds as
he arrived in Baghdad.
Two defence lawyers were killed shortly after the start of the trial.
Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants deny all the
charges against them. The ousted president is expected to face further
charges relating to his tenure as Iraqi leader. | 
