Poland's Supreme Court has ruled that the country's last communist-era leader, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, will stand trial for his alleged role in the December 1970 massacre of 44 protesting workers.

Originally, the case was opened before a court in Poland's northern port city of Gdansk in 1996, but was delayed as General Jaruzelski and other communist-era officials did not attend hearings on the grounds of ill health.

Monday's court ruling means the case will be reopened in Warsaw, where most of the defendants reside.

Worker's Uprising

Speaking from hospital where he is recovering from eye surgery, General Jaruzelski said he is pleased with the supreme court's ruling.

The 76-year-old general also said he was prepared to stand trial, health permitting.

General Jaruzelski, was minister of defence at the time of the 1970 worker's uprising.

Suppressing Solidarity

Forty-four workers protesting against drastic price rises were shot dead by security police on the streets of Poland's northern port cities of Gdansk, Gdynia and Szczecin. No one has been convicted in connection with the deaths.

Following Monday's decision, 10 former Communist officials will face charges of having ordered the violent quelling of the December 1970 worker's revolt.

The accused, now between 70 and 80 years of age, have said they will plead innocent but could spend the rest of their lives in prison if found guilty of the charges.

General Jaruzelski, who imposed martial law in 1981 to suppress the Solidarity Trade Union, was officially exonerated of the act by a post-communist dominated parliament in 1996.