Monday, April 17 2006 14:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Baghdad: Experts confirmed the authenticity of Saddam Hussein's signature on documents connected to a crackdown on Shiites in the 1980s, prosecutors said today (Apr 17, 2006) in a new session of the trial of the former Iraqi leader and seven co-defendants.

The report from handwriting experts said a signature on a document approving rewards for intelligence agents involved in the crackdown was Saddam's, prosecutors said, reading from the report.

In an earlier session, Saddam had refused to confirm or deny his signature. Some of his co-defendants had said their alleged signatures on other documents were forgeries.

Saddam and the seven former members of his regime are on trial for the deaths of 148 Shiites and the imprisonment and torture of others during the crackdown launched after a 1982 assassination attempt against the former Iraqi leader in the Shiite town of Dujail. They face possible execution by hanging if convicted.

Dressed in a black suit and white shirt, Saddam appeared in court today along with his co-defendants.