Saddam defence witnesses ordered held,official says

BAGHDAD, May 31 (Reuters) Four defence witnesses in the trial of Saddam Hussein were ordered held today to allow investigation of their allegations of impropriety against the prosecution, a U.S. official close to the court said.

''Four defence witnesses have been ordered held,'' the official told reporters. The official said the inquiry would focus on witness allegations that chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi had attended an event celebrating a 1982 assassination attempt on Saddam.

Saddam and seven co-defendants are accused of crimes against humanity for bloody reprisals after the attempt on his life which led to the killings of 148 Shi'ite men and teenagers from the town of Dujail.

Officials at the U.S.-backed Iraqi court were not immediately available for comment.

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