Washington: The Pentagon has publicly confirmed that ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is considered an enemy prisoner of war.

"Saddam's status is he's an enemy prisoner of war," said Lawrence DiRita, the Pentagon's acting chief spokesman.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was informed yesterday (Jan 9, 2004) that the Pentagon's lawyers had determined that the deposed Iraqi President was a prisoner of war under the Geneva Conventions, DiRita said.

He added however that the conventions contain procedures that allow for that status to be reevaluated.

"Should information come to light later, then there is a process to evaluate that information," he said, adding that "unless and until" such new information came to light Saddam's status would be that of an enemy prisoner of war.

DiRita noted that that the International Committee of the Red Cross has submitted a request to visit Saddam, who was captured December 13.

"He is being treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention, and the convention permits that," he said of a possible visit.