Saddam trial enters last phase today

On Monday, the attorneys will begin to present their closing arguments defending Saddam and seven others from charges that in the 1980s they killed 148 Shias in the village of Dujail after the former president escaped an assassination bid there.

Chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Mussawi told AFP, "this may take two to three days but no more".

In the previous 35 sessions of the trial, which started in October, the prosecution argued that the Shia killings were unlawful, while the defence insisted it was a legitimate action against those responsible for planning to murder the head of state.