The trial of Saddam Hussein on charges of crimes against humanity resumed this morning and the former Iraqi president, who boycotted the previous session after telling judges to "go to hell", appeared in the dock.
An Iraqi resident looks at a picture of Saddam Hussein in a newspaper.
Rizgar Mohammed Amin, the Kurdish judge trying Saddam, entered the court shortly before 08.30 am (Irish time) and Saddam followed 10 minutes later, accompanied by his seven co-defendants.
The court was expected to hear testimony from about five plaintiffs before adjourning until next month, although there is a chance there will be another hearing tomorrow before the adjournment.
Saddam (68) effectively boycotted the last hearing on December 7th after dismissing the proceedings as a sham and complaining about the conditions of his detention, although his lawyers had since said he would attend today's hearing.
Prosecutors want Saddam and the others to be convicted for the killings of 148 people from Dujail, north of Baghdad, saying Saddam ordered the killings in reprisal for an attempt to assassinate him in the town in 1982 when he was president.
The stop-start, often chaotic trial opened on October 19th but has been adjourned three times.
Saddam may also face trial on other charges including ones related to the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, repression of Shi'ite and Kurdish opponents, and the killing of political foes.