Saddam in court after hunger strike

The ousted president made a brief statement beginning with a verse from the Quran before a court-appointed attorney began delivering the final summation on his behalf.

Photo: Saddam in court after hunger strike

Saddam was last in court June 19 when chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi asked the court to impose the death penalty on the former ruler for his role in the deaths of Shiite Muslims in Dujail following a 1982 assassination attempt against him, the AP reports.

He was rushed to hospital Sunday on the 17th day of a hunger strike launched to protest the trial and demand better security for the defense team following the assassination of three of its members.

Saddam and seven co-defendants have been on trial since Oct. 19 in the Dujail case. The court is expected to adjourn following final summations for all eight defendants and then render a verdict, possibly in mid-August.