Saddam cries hunger strike

Baghdad: Saddam Hussain announced in court that he was on hunger strike to protest tough stances by the chief judge in a heated start on Tuesday to the latest session of his trial.

The former Iraqi leader shouted his support for Iraqi insurgents, yelling "Long live the mujahedeen," as he entered the courtroom and immediately began a heated exchange with chief judge Raouf Abdul Rahman.

"For three days we have been holding a hunger strike protesting against your way in treating us - against you and your masters," Saddam told Abdul Rahman, who in Monday's session ordered the eight defendants to attend the court despite a boycott by their original defense team.

One of the co-defendants, Awad Hamed Al Bandar, also said he was not eating. Saddam made no mention of a hunger strike in Monday's session.

Monday's session had a stormy start as Saddam, his half-brother Barzan Ebrahim argued with the judge, protesting that they had been forced to attend.

There was similar shouting at the opening of Tuesday's proceedings, but calm was brought quickly.

The court began hearing the day's first prosecution witness - a former intelligence official who testified from behind a curtain to maintain his anonymity.

Former Culture Minister Hamid Youssef Hummadi is also expected to take the witness stand.