Poland's last communist leader on trial

WARSAW, Poland, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, Poland's last communist leader, is on trial in Warsaw accused of a crime growing out of the 1981 Solidarity clampdown.

Jaruzelski and seven others were accused of violating their own communist constitution when they created what prosecutors called a "criminal military organization" to implement martial law in December 1981.

Dozens of people died in subsequent actions, officials said.

Jaruzelski, who is now 84 and in poor health, says he had to act to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland.

If found guilty he faces up to 10 years in prison.