A US civil rights lawyer and a Qatar former justice minister said yesterday they were heading to Baghdad to help defend Saddam Hussein and ensure he gets a fair trial.

Former US Attorney-General Ramsey Clark and ex-Qatari Justice Minister Najeeb al-Nauimi said in Amman they were on their way to the Iraqi capital to join chief Iraqi lawyer Khalil Dulaimi when proceedings resume today for the first time since Saddam's trial began on October 19.

The trial was postponed for 40 days to give the defence more time to prepare.

"Our plan is to go to court in Baghdad on Monday morning representing the defence counsel as defence support. A fair trial in this case is absolutely imperative for historic truth for what really happened," Clark said.

Saddam's defence team had sought to have foreign lawyers support their side. Washington has been under international pressure to ensure the former leader's legal rights are upheld.

Dulaimi is an Iraqi with little experience in major criminal cases, particularly those involving allegations of crimes against humanity.

The defence team had criticized Washington and the US-backed Iraqi authorities for limiting access to the jailed former ruler, saying justice could not be done without full defence access.

Lawyers for Saddam and seven co-defendants, all charged with crimes against humanity in the deaths of 148 men following an unsuccessful attempt on Saddam's life in 1982, had threatened to boycott today's session unless their security was guaranteed.

Two defence lawyers were killed within days of the trial opening on October 19, leading Dulaimi to say he was suspending all contact with the court.

The defence team has since insisted on US protection, rather than security provided by the Iraqi Government.

Saddam's chief trial judge also said in remarks released yesterday that he had considered whether the court should move to Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq because of poor security in the capital.

(China Daily November 28, 2005)