Saddam ends hunger strike

Baghdad: Toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain ended his hunger strike after missing one meal in prison, a US military spokesman said on Friday.

Saddam had refused to eat lunch on Thursday to protest the killing of one of his lawyers, but the spokesman said he ate dinner.

Former aides who are also in the same prison refused to eat meals since Wednesday evening, but ended their fast with Saddam.

"They all took their dinner meal," the spokesman said.

Saddam is on trial for the 1982 massacre in Dujail. His deputy counsel, Khamis Al Obaidi, was killed by unidentified gunmen on Wednesday.