Saddam ends hunger strike before trial resumption

[ECH1969]

Saddam Hussein has ended a hunger strike he began earlier this month to protest against the conduct of his trial, his chief lawyer said on Monday, a day before the ousted Iraqi leader is due back in court.

Saddam, on trial since October for crimes against humanity, complicated already chaotic proceedings at the last hearing on February 14 by saying he and seven co-accused were refusing food.

"The president maintained his hunger strike for 11 days but was forced to end it for health reasons," Khalil Dulaimi, who met Saddam for seven hours in Baghdad on Sunday, told Reuters.

The 68-year-old former president has accused the court of forcing him to attend hearings that he wished to boycott.

http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-02-27T150935Z_01_FOR728595_RTRUKOC_0_US-SADDAM-STRIKE.xml

[Mizmoon]

1. I'm not a bit surprised

Saddam is as spoiled rotten as dubya.

[whirlygigspin]

2. feeling peckish is he

Must be keeping up his strength for the rest of the monkey trial farce.

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Forced to end it?

As in the "humanitarian method" used at Gitmo?