Saddam admits "razing" farms of convicted in Dujail

BAGHDAD, March 1 (Reuters) Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein today admitted he had ordered the ''razing'' of farms of those convicted of trying to kill him in 1982.

''I razed them ... we specified the farmland of those who were convicted and I signed,'' Saddam told a court trying him for crimes against humanity in connection with the execution of 148 Shi'ite villagers in the village of Dujail .

Saddam said he ordered the razing of the farms because there had been an attempt on his life as his motorcade drove through the town during a visit in July 1982.

''I signed it because the incident happened against me.'' Describing how gunmen fired machine guns on his vehicle, he said: ''I saw the bullets with my own eyes, I was sitting on the right side...'' The trial, which began in October last year, was adjourned until March 12.

REUTERS KD PM2011