BBC News Online: World: Europe

Jaruzelski case finally opens in Poland

The trial of Poland's last Communist leader, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, has got underway in Warsaw, after months of delay.

General Jaruzelski is accused of having given orders to shoot at striking shipyard workers in 1970, when he served as defence minister.

Forty-four people were killed and several hundred injured in the suppression of protests.

General Jaruzelski and his six co-defendants have denied the charges.

The trial originally opened in May but was delayed after the general's lawyers resigned.

Later attempts the start the proceedings failed because of the ill health of one of his co-defendants.

An earlier case against the general collapsed after he was ruled unfit to stand trial.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service