Baghdad: The US-led multi-national force has officially agreed to hand jailed dictator Saddam Hussein and 11 members of his old regime over to Iraqi custody in the next few days, the country's special tribunal said today (Jun 29, 2004).

Salam Chalabi, executive director of the Iraqi Special Tribunal, and the coalition forces agreed to the hand over of Saddam, the tribunal charged with Iraqi war crimes announced in a statement.

"As a consequence over the next few days, the Iraqi authorities will be taking custody of 12 senior members of the previous regime, including Saddam Hussein, this being the first transfer of those senior members who will be charged with the commission of serious crimes," he said.