TONY EASTLEY: Saddam Hussein has accused his American captors of beating and torturing him while in detention.
Speaking at his trial in Baghdad, Saddam Hussein told the court that signs of torture could be seen all over his body.
The prosecution has ridiculed his claims, saying the former Iraqi leader was relatively well off, being held in a comfortable, air-conditioned room in a city where electricity supply is largely hit and miss.
Edmond Roy reports.
EDMOND ROY: After sitting quietly through several hours of testimony that included witnesses who said that Saddam Hussein's agents had tortured people by ripping off their skin, the former Iraqi leader launched into an extended outburst at the court.
He claimed that he had been tortured and beaten on every part of his body and that his seven co-defendants had been given the same treatment by American guards.
SADDAM HUSSEIN (translated): I would say yes, we were beaten up. We were beaten up by Americans and we were tortured. Every one of us. This man when he gets up he has to hold the railing because he was beaten up badly. He was beaten badly with rifle butts on his back.
EDMOND ROY: Chief Prosecutor Jaafar al-Mousawi said he would investigate the claims and added that if they were true, the former Iraqi leader would be transferred to the custody of Iraqi troops.
But the prosecution has dismissed the allegations with Christopher Reid of the US embassy in Baghdad describing them as absolutely bogus.
CHRISTOPHER REID: We heard Barzon al-Tikriti complaining about his treatment and saying the cigarettes I'm getting are terrible and I only get six a day, that kind of a complaint. So nowhere then was anything mentioned about being beaten or whatever.
So I think these are bogus claims, they're designed to ambush the court, and they're designed to really play on or play against some of the testimony that we've had in the case so far.
EDMOND ROY: A sentiment repeated in Washington by State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack.
SEAN MCCORMACK: I know of nothing that would substantiate such a claim. He's given to grandstanding in this trial. But where the focus should be is on the testimony of those people who were victimised.
EDMOND ROY: Among those witnesses was al-Haidari, who testified that seven of his brothers were executed by Saddam's soldiers and that their bodies have never been found.
He told the court that he and other residents of his village were taken to Baghdad and thrown into a prison where people were given electric shocks and regular beatings.
Saddam Hussein and seven of his co-defendants are on trial for the deaths of more than 140 Shiites following a 1982 assassination attempt against him in the town of Dujail, north of Baghdad.
Two weeks ago, Saddam had called the court ''unjust'' and boycotted a session. Earlier this month, he had refused to attend a session saying the court could go to hell. This time, he appeared calm and paid close attention to the proceedings, even taking notes at times.
He could be hanged if found guilty by the court