BAGHDAD, June 22: Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein has gone on hunger strike to protest the killing of a member of his defence team, his lead lawyer Khalil al-Dulaimi and the US military said on Thursday.

Mr Dulaimi said Saddam Hussein and 55 other former officials started their protest after they were told about the killing the previous day of Khamis al-Obeidi, the third defence lawyer to be murdered since the start of Saddam’s trial in October on charges of crimes against humanity.

“Saddam and 55 other detainees are on a hunger strike since yesterday after the killing of Khamis al-Obeidi,” Mr Dulaimi said.

Mr Obeidi, 49, one of the team of lawyers representing Saddam, was kidnapped on Wednesday by about 20 men from his home and later shot dead in a Baghdad street.

Mr Dulaimi said Saddam and the others wanted US and international committees to give guarantees ‘for the security of the other defence lawyers’.

The US military confirmed that Saddam was on strike along with a group of detained former regime members, but declined to identify them.

“He (Saddam) refused his midday meal today and has joined the group who is on strike,” said Lt Col Keir-Kevin Curry, spokesman for US-run detainee operations.

“A group of former regime members refused their evening meal on June 21 and their morning meal on June 22 following the killing of Khamis al-Obeidi,” he said.

Earlier he had denied Saddam was on hunger strike.

The protestors were in “good health and receiving appropriate medical care,” he said.

“We are making every effort to ensure they receive proper care and attention.

“They will be evaluated as necessary by on-site medical professionals to ensure their health is not jeopardised.”—AFP