BAGHDAD, Oct 16: The chief prosecutor trying former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on charges of crimes against humanity said on Monday he hoped a verdict would be announced on Nov 5.

“If the procedures and the investigations are complete before this date, then it will be the occasion to announce the verdict,” chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Mussawi said.

At a brief closed session, the court said the next hearing would be on Nov 5, without saying if a verdict would be delivered then.

“The court decided on Oct 16 to delay the session of the court for further investigation into the case of Dujail and has fixed November 5 as the date of the next session,” it said in a statement.

US officials close to the court, however, expect a verdict on that date.

Saddam and seven co-defendants are on trial for allegedly ordering the killing of 148 Shias from the village of Dujail after an assassination attempt against Saddam in 1982.

Saddam is charged with crimes against humanity, including murder and torture and faces the gallows if found guilty.

Other defendants include Saddam’s half brother and former secret police chief Barzan al Tikriti and ex-vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan.

Saddam also faces a second trial on genocide charges related to the 1987-1988 Anfal campaign against Iraq’s Kurdish minority, which allegedly killed 182,000 people. That case is due to continue on Tuesday.

The ousted leader, who was captured by US invasion forces in Dec 2003, has consistently rejected the legitimacy of the US-backed court trying him.—AFP