Saddam: Key witness testifies

2005-10-23 23:16

Baghdad - A key witness who is dying of cancer gave testimony on Sunday to the Iraqi court trying ousted president Saddam Hussein on murder and torture charges, a source close to the court said.

Court officials "have recorded the testimony of this individual", a source close to the court said.

"His words were recorded and written down on paper."

The source said the move was justified because they fear that Waddah Khalil, a former senior intelligence officer in Saddam's regime, could die before the next session of the Iraqi special tribunal.

After the first day in court on October 19 the trial was adjourned until November 28.

Saddam and seven co-defendants face charges related to the killing of 148 Shiites from the village of Dujail following a failed attempt there on the Iraqi leader's life in July 1982.

The defendants have all claimed their innocence.

Khalil occupied an important position in Saddam's intelligence service at the time of the Dujail massacre.

"He then left the service to pursue his trade as a lawyer," the source said.

The ill man is under arrest on separate charges described as "non-political", the source said, giving no further details.

The trial was postponed in part because several witnesses and people affected by the massacre were not present at the court, the source said.

Saddam's Iraqi lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi asked for an adjournment in order to examine evidence collected against his clients.

Court officials also have to correct several technical problems that bedeviled the opening day, including a faulty audio and video systems.

- AFP