Saddam Hussein accused his American captors of torturing him, claiming at his trial today that he had been beaten “everywhere on my body.” A Shiite witness testified that the former Iraqi leader’s agents had tortured people by ripping off their skin.

A quieter Saddam Hussein sat in his defendant’s chair at the resumption of his trial in Baghdad today, two weeks after he refused to attend the last session in a court he called “unjust”.

The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed this morning after a two-week break, and the former leader – who had refused to attend the last session – was in court.

Saddam Hussein was expected to show up when his Baghdad trial reconvenes today, two weeks after he boycotted the last session and vowed not to appear before an “unjust” court.

Iraqi court officials today denied reports that two court employees attacked Saddam Hussein and punched him several times after he cursed two Shiite Islam saints.

Three gunmen in a speeding car killed a defence lawyer in the Saddam Hussein trial and wounded another today in Western Baghdad.

SADDAM HUSSEIN’S trial is be shown a video shot by his own photographer as a crucial piece of evidence against the former dictator.