Saddam and co-defendants on hunger strike

Saddam Hussein’s former intelligence chief, Ibrahim Barzan, today insisted that he ordered the release of dozens of prisoners, making his most lively defence yet on charges he was involved in torture and executions in a crackdown against Shiites in the 1980s.

Saddam, Ibrahim and two other defendants also told the court they were on hunger strike to protest against the tough stances of chief judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman, who took over the court last month and has worked to impose order in a court where outbursts and arguments have frequently overshadowed the testimony.