US President George W. Bush said here on Tuesday that the United States will hand over former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to the interim Iraqi government at "anappropriate time."

"We are working with the Iraqi government on a couple of issues,one is the appropriate time for the transfer of Saddam Hussein," Bush told reporters, noting the handover must be made for sure there is appropriate security.

Bush did not commit to handing over Saddam by the June 30 transfer of power as asserted by interim Iraqi Prime Minister IyadAllawi, but he did not rule it out.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said earlier "we have made that very clear that we want to see him (Saddam) face justiceby the Iraqi people for the atrocities he committed."

Saddam was captured last December near his home town of Tikrit and he has been in American custody since at an unknown location.

Source: Xinhua