BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein appeared at his genocide trial Wednesday, a day after writing the judge that he no longer wanted to attend.

Saddam Hussein, holds up a piece of paper for the judge in court Monday Dec. 4, 2006 during his trial with other defendants in Baghdad, Iraq, for genocide in the 'Anfal' offensive against the Kurds. Saddam and six co-defendants, face possible execution if convicted for the 1987-88 military offensive against the Kurds of northern Iraq. The prosecution estimates that 180,000 Kurds were killed in the campaign, code-named Operation Anfal, in which Saddam's army allegedly destroyed hundreds of villages and killed or scattered their inhabitants. [AP]

The deposed Iraqi leader walked into the courtroom with a broad smile and took a seat alongside his six co-defendants.

The chief judge, Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, called a prosecution witness to the stand, reversing his Monday decision that the court would not hear more witnesses but instead review the evidence.

In a handwritten statement released by Saddam's lawyers Tuesday, the ex-president cited what he claimed were repeated "insults" by al-Khalifa and prosecutors.

"I will not accept being offended continuously by you and others," Saddam wrote to al-Khalifa. "Therefore, I ask to be relieved of attending the hearings in this new comedy and you can do whatever you want."

Saddam and his co-defendants have pleaded innocent to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from their role in a military crackdown on Iraq's Kurd population. Saddam and one other defendant are also charged with genocide for the campaign, code-named Operation Anfal, in which the prosecution says 180,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed.

Saddam's army allegedly destroyed hundreds of villages and killed or scattered their inhabitants in a scorched earth campaign against separatist guerrillas.