Baghdad: Legal custody of Saddam Hussein and 11 others was transferred to the Iraqis today (June 30, 2004), an international official said.

The defendants were informed individually of their Rights, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. An Iraqi judge witnessed the proceedings.

There was no official confirmation from Iraqi authorities, however Prime Minister Iyad Allawi had said that the legal - but not custodial - transfer of the 12 defendants would take place today.

They are to appear in court tomorrow for a formal reading of the charges.

"The first step has happened,'' Salem Chalabi, the director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal that will try Saddam, told. He refused to elaborate.

"I met with him (Saddam) earlier today to explain his Rights and what will happen,'' Chalabi said.

Saddam will remain in an American-controlled jail guarded by Americans until the Iraqis are ready to take physical custody of him. That is expected to take a long time.

However, the legal transfer means that Saddam and the others are no longer prisoners of war - subject to Rights under the Geneva Conventions - but criminal defendants whose treatment will be in accordance with Iraqi law.