Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Saddam's Trial Resumes in Baghdad
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=11DAA22:3919ACA Chief judge rules
ousted dictator's signature is authentic on documents related to
crackdown on Shi'ite Muslims in 1980s





Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sits alone in the defendant's
dock moments after arriving for his trial held under tight security in
Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, Wednesday, April 19, 2006The
trial of Saddam Hussein resumed Wednesday in Baghdad, with the chief
judge ruling that the ousted dictator's signature is authentic on
documents related to a crackdown on Shi'ite Muslims in the 1980s.

In the previous session of the court on Monday, handwriting experts
confirmed Saddam's signature on a memo approving rewards for
intelligence agents involved in the 1982 crackdown in the village of
Dujail.

Saddam and his seven cohorts were present in the Baghdad court for
Wednesday's hearings.

Elsewhere, Iraqi troops and insurgents fought fierce battles for a
second straight day Tuesday in Adhamiya, a mainly Sunni Arab district
of the capital.

U.S. officials say American troops also were involved in the fighting,
in which at least five insurgents were killed and another seven
captured.

Iraqi political leaders remain deadlocked in efforts to form the
country's next government. Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish factions
have been unable to agree on who will serve as prime minister.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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