'Iraq needs court order to take Saddam custody'

He added that Saddam, held now by US forces, would be in the "initial group" of what are being termed high-value detainees, handed to the Iraqis for trial.

"Before we turn over any of the detainees we have to make sure there is a valid Iraqi court order that authorises the Iraqi government to detain them," the official told a briefing.

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"We are now planning to (issue) that order in a way that will abide by Iraqi law so the detainees who are handed over to the Iraqi government are accorded due process," he added.

He said the due process would give the prisoners rights such as legal counsel and a certain standard of detention.

"We will maintain physical custody and control and ensure their safety and security and wellbeing," he said. "We will make sure they are treated in accordance with Iraqi law and we will grant access in accordance with Iraqi law."

Meanwhile, US forces have confiscated three letters written by ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to his family to check their contents before releasing them, an ICRC spokeswoman said here yesterday.

"The American authorities are holding on to three messages written by Saddam Hussein to his family to check their content and for the purpose of censorship," Nada Doumani said in Amman.

She said this was in line with the terms of the Geneva Conventions.