The former Deputy Iraqi Prime Minister, Tareq Aziz, has taken the stand to testify for Saddam Hussein as the first defence witness in the Dujail trial.
Mr Hussein is accused of ordering the killing of 148 civilians in the Iraqi town of Dujail in 1982, following a failed assassination attempt.
He and his seven co-defendants face charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and torture, and could face execution if found guilty.
Tareq Aziz had been Mr Hussein's foreign minister and was one of his closest aides. He was number 43 on the US most wanted list of Iraqi officials when he gave himself up to US forces in April 2003.
While he was not involved with the events in Dujail itself, Mr Aziz's testimony has focused on the series of assassination attempts against officials of the Baath regime at that time.
In testimony, Mr Aziz claimed that current Iraqi government officials should be in the dock instead, accusing one of the now ruling Shia parties of trying to kill him in the 1980s.
The trial, which opened on 19 October last year, has been marred by repeated tirades from defendants, the murder of two defence lawyers and the resignation of the first chief judge.
International human rights advocates have said the trial is being conducted well below international legal standards.
Police general shot in Baghdad attack
Meanwhile, a Baghdad police general has been shot dead on his way to work this morning.
General Ahmed Dawod was a deputy chief of Baghdad municipality's protection units.
His killing appears to be part of a campaign to assassinate prominent Iraqi officials.
