Defense lawyers for former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein say an unidentified man attacked the ousted leader during his appearance at a court hearing in Baghdad Thursday.

The Jordan-based legal team said in a statement Saturday the man attacked Saddam as he stood to leave the courtroom, and the two exchanged blows.  The lawyers did not say if Saddam was hurt.

The statement says the head of the tribunal did nothing to stop the assault.
 
Saddam appeared in court to answer question about the repression of a Shi'ite uprising in 1991.

Earlier this month, he was formally charged with the killings of Shi'ite Muslims in the village of Dujail in 1982, but no date has been set for his trial.