IRAQ - November 8, 2005

Adil Muhammed al-Zubaidi,  a lawyer for one of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants shot and killed by gunmen on  November 8, 2005  

Adil Muhammed al-Zubaidi was killed while traveling in a car in Baghdad with another of the lawyers involved in the upcoming trial who was hurt.

Adel al-Zubeidi, who was representing former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, one of Saddam's longtime aides, was shot to death and attorney Thamir al-Khuzaie was wounded in the ambush in the predominately Sunni Arab neighborhood of Adil, according to lawyer Khamees Hamid al-Ubaidi.

Al-Zubeidi had represented ex-Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadanin the Dujail case -- the first trial of alleged war crimes by the former regime. He also represented Abdullah Kazim Ruwayyid, a former Baath party official. Al-Khuzaie represents Saddam's half-brother, co-defendant Barazan Ibrahim.

The attack in the western Baghdad neighborhood of al-Adil came nearly three weeks after another lawyer in the case was killed. Sadoon Janabi was shot in the head not long after he was kidnapped from his office on October 20. He had been representing Awad Hamad Bandar, the former chief judge of Hussein's Revolutionary Court.

The trial of Hussein and his seven co-defendants has been adjourned until November 28.