Jailed ex-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is no longer a prisoner of war, instead he will be brought to Iraqi justice, Adam Ereli, deputy spokesman of the State Department said in Washington Wednesday.

"He (Saddam) is now no longer an enemy prisoner of war, he is a prisoner of the Iraqi justice system," Ereli told a news briefing.

He said a warrant has been issued and a number of jailed ex-Iraqi top officials will be informed of the charges against them.

Ereli said that Saddam is physically in the custody of the multinational force at an undisclosed location although his legal custody has been transferred to the Iraqi interim government.

"Once the Iraqis can stand up a corrections facility and capability, he will eventually be transferred to their physical custody as well," the deputy spokesman added.

Source: Xinhua