Trial adjourned until Thursday

Baghdad: Saddam Hussain decided to boycott his trial, which was adjourned until Thursday after five witnesses gave their testimonies.

Saddam and his defence team, including four co-accused, refused to show up in court on Wednesday in protest against the new judge, whom they accuse of bias.

Saddam's legal team said they will not return unless chief judge Raouf Abdul Rahman resigns.

However, Abdul Rahman went on with the hearing without them and court-appointed lawyers replaced Saddam's team in proceedings.

The trial was adjourned until Thursday after testimony from five prosecution witnesses, who all testified from behind a curtain.

One woman accused Saddam's half brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, of torturing her inside an intelligence building where she was allegedly hung naked from the ceiling.

"They beat me and used electric shock on me. Barzan hit me on the chest and broke my ribs and the marks are still clear."

Saddam and his seven co-defendants are on trial for the Dujail massacre in 1982. They face the death penalty if found guilty.