US lays out conditions of Saddam transfer

[dArKeR]

By Adam Entous

Washington - United States President George Bush said on Tuesday he will not hand over former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to the interim Iraqi government until it has secure facilities in place to ensure he does not escape trial.

As an intermediate step, officials said the Bush administration was prepared to transfer "legal custody" of Saddam to the new government. But the US military would continue to hold him physically until Washington is satisfied a secure Iraqi-run facility and Iraqi security forces are ready.

The administration would not commit to handing over Saddam and other prisoners by the June 30 transfer of power, as asserted by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

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