THE TRIAL OF OUSTED IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN AND SEVEN OF HIS TOP AIDES ON CHARGES OF KILLING SHIITE VILLAGERS RESUMED ON WEDNESDAY IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL THE DEFENDANTS AND THEIR DEFENSE TEAM. THE 26TH SESSION OF THE COURT WAS EXPECTED TO HEAR FROM DEFENSE WITNESSES, WITH FURTHER TESTIMONY TO CONTINUE NEXT WEEK. AROUND 60 WITNESSES ARE EXPECTED TO APPEAR IN TOTAL, WITH NINE ALREADY HAVING TAKEN THE STAND. SADDAM AND HIS SEVEN CO-DEFENDANTS ON MONDAY PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY LEVELLED AGAINST THEM BY IRAQ'S SUPREME CRIMINAL COURT, ACCORDING TO A REPORT OF GERMAN NEWS AGENCY 'DPA'. PRESIDING JUDGE RAOUF ABDEL RAHMAN READ THE CHARGES AGAINST EIGHT BAATH PARTY LEADERS AS REGARDS THE ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST 148 SHIITE VILLAGERS FROM DUJAIL FOLLOWING AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON SADDAM DURING HIS VISIT TO THE TOWN ON JULY 8, 1982.
