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Iraqi police finds body of Saddam Hussein lawyer

BAGHDAD, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi toppled president Saddam Hussein and seven of his co-defendants in Dujail case went on hunger strike, protesting the killing of Saddam's senior defense lawyer, a key member of Saddam's defense team said on Thursday.

"They went on hunger strike since yesterday," said Khalil al-Dulaimi, Saddam's number one attorney member told media, adding that Saddam and his co-accused vowed not to eat until they have "international protection".

The body of Khamis al-Ubaidi, the number two on Saddam's defense team, was found dumped in the Sabah al-Khaiyat Square in the vicinity of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad on Wednesday.

Two of the defense team lawyers for Saddam and his seven top aides were also killed by gunmen in Baghdad in the past.

Saddam and his seven aides are charged with crimes against humanity, including the killing of 148 Shiites in Iraq's northern village of Dujail after a failed assassination attempt on Saddam's life there in 1982. Enditem