Saddam back in court for trial over Kurdish campaign

BAGHDAD, Oct 10 (Reuters) Saddam Hussein's trial for a campaign against ethnic Kurds in the late 1980s resumed today with all the defendants present in the courtroom.

The court was expected to hear more witnesses testify about Saddam's 1988 Anfal (Spoils of War) campaign against the Kurds in northern Iraq, in which prosecutors say tens of thousands were killed in poison gas attacks, bombings or executed.

Saddam has been ejected three times in the past four sessions after frequent clashes with the newly appointed judge.

The defence team continued its boycott of the trial in protest at the sacking of the previous judge who angered the government by telling Saddam: ''You are not a dictator''.

Saddam, 69, his cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, and five former commanders face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their role in Anfal that prosecutors say left 182,000 ethnic Kurds dead or missing.

REUTERS LL RN1355