Saddam co-accused begin defence

The three claim to have been only junior Baath party members

Relatives of co-defendants of Saddam Hussein have taken the stand in a new phase of the trial of the ex-Iraqi leader and members of his regime.

The witnesses appeared for the defence of three former ruling party officials being tried alongside Saddam Hussein and some of his top lieutenants.

"He was one of the lowest ranks," said a relative of defendant Mizher Ruaid.

The defendants face death if found guilty of torture and murder charges. Saddam and his top aides were absent.

The four senior defendants are expected to return to the court when it reconvenes on Wednesday.

'Tribal leader'

The more intensive phase of the trial began on Monday, when the judge read out specific charges against the defendants relating to the killings of Iraqi Shias in 1982 in the village of Dujail following an attempt on the life of Saddam Hussein.

My father is a tribal sheikh and people loved him for his love and fairness towards people Defence witness

Under Iraq's legal system, the onus is now on the defence to disprove charges that the judges determine are supported by the prosecution evidence.

The three defendants in court on Tuesday were Abdullah Kadhem Ruaid, his son Mizher and Mohammed Azawi Ali. They listened as the unidentified witnesses, concealed behind a curtain, gave evidence.

A son of Abdullah Kadhem Ruaid told the court: "My father is a tribal sheikh and people loved him for his love and fairness towards people... It's a crime to bring him here".

Defence witnesses gave evidence behind curtains for their safety

Mizher Ruaid was described as a very junior Baath party member, whose job was to man Dujail's telephone exchange.

"He would not have been given such an assignment... involving the arrest of hostile elements," a witness said.

Saddam Hussein's lawyers complained that their client had not been called to appear in court to respond to the evidence.

But Judge Rahman said his lawyers were there to respond to anything witnesses might say in his absence.

Murder and torture

The specific charges laid by Chief Judge Raouf Abdel Rahman relate to the defendants' alleged roles in the Dujail crackdown.

Saddam Hussein was accused of ordering:

• The illegal arrest of 399 people
• The torture of women and children
• The destruction of farmland
• The murder of nine people in the early days of the crackdown
• The murder of 148 people in the later phase of the crackdown

All eight defendants either refused to enter a plea or pleaded not guilty. Saddam Hussein insisted the trial was "no way to treat the president of Iraq".

The judge ordered the court to record that he had denied the charges and then read out charges against the other defendants.

Since the trial began in October, the frequently interrupted court sessions have focussed on marshalling evidence against Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants.

The defence phase is expected to last at least a month. After the Dujail trial, a new case against Saddam Hussein is set to begin over the 1988 Anfal campaign against the Kurds.

International human rights advocates have protested that the trial is being conducted well below international legal standards.