Saddam Hussein today claimed that he and three of his seven co-defendants were on hunger strike as their chaotic crimes against humanity trial continued in disarray.

Observers say that the fitful proceedings appear to be edging closer to collapse after the judge struggled to maintain order during a raucous session when, for the second consecutive day, key prosecution witnesses refused to testify.

After three hours - in which Saddam denounced the proceedings as a "soap opera" - the case was adjourned for a fortnight.

"We have been on a hunger strike for three days," Saddam declared as the trial resumed this morning to hear its 12th day of evidence in four months. He had dispensed with the grey overcoat and galabeya robe of yesterday and returned to wearing a smart black suit

Barzan al-Tikriti, Saddam's half brother and former intelligence chief - who again wore long underwear in court to illustrate his failure to recognise its legitimacy - said he had been on hunger strike for two days.

Two other defendants, Awad Bandar and Taha Yassin Ramadan, the former Vice President, also said they were also refusing to eat in protest. Their claims could not be independently verified but when questioned, an official at the Baghdad court told reporters that it was working to verify an "administrative problem".

The hearing was again punctuated by shouted exchanges between defendants and the presiding judge, Rauf Abdel Rahman, who has taken a harder line since taking over as ringmaster following the resignation of his predecessor in January.

"You kick out our lawyers, you bring in witnesses by force and those that testify against us are anonymous - is there a trial like this anywhere else in the world," shouted Mr Ramadan.

As the judge pounded his gavel to restore order, Saddam told him to "take that hammer and knock yourself on the head."

After further arguments, the judge finally called the first witness, an anonymous former member of the intelligence service who refused to give evidence.

The anonymous witness, who spoke from behind a screen, claimed he had only been a minor official in the intelligence service at the time of a massacre of 150 villagers in Dujail following an attempted assassination attempt on the dictator in 1982.

He said he knew nothing of events, adding that he had been forced to testify. During cross-examination, Mr Barzan insisted on referring to the man by name, and for the first time laid out what appeared to be the basis of his defence.

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