The Iraqi court trying the former leader Saddam Hussein and seven of his aides on charges of crimes against humanity on Dujail case may announce its verdict over the crimes on Nov. 5, a court official said yesterday.

"The court needed more time to finish reviewing testimonies. If the judges have done with their job by Nov. 5, the presiding judge will announce the verdict," Raed Juhi, spokesman of the Iraqi High Tribunal told reporters.

On July 27, Chief Judge Raouf Abdul Rahman ordered the trial of Saddam on Dujail case to adjourn until Monday, Oct. 16 in order to allow the five-judge panel to review the testimonies and consider a verdict.

Prosecutors of Dujail case demanded Saddam be sentenced to death penalty if found guilty of killing the 148 people from the town of Dujail, some 70 km north of Baghdad, after a assassination attempt against Saddam failed in 1982.