The trials of 11 former members of Saddam Hussein’s regime will begin next week, the Iraqi interim Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, has said.
However, Mr Allawi did not say when the former Iraqi leader himself would stand trial.
Addressing the Iraqi National Council, Mr Allawi said that the symbols of the former regime would be tried one by one.
The 11 are being guarded by US troops while awaiting trial by Iraqi judges.
They appeared briefly in court in July to be told of the charges against them, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In a separate development in London, the High Court has ruled that the family of a dead Iraqi should be allowed to challenge the British government's refusal to hold an independent inquiry.
Baha Mousa, who was 26, was allegedly beaten to death while in British military custody in Basra last year.
However, the High Court rejected similar appeals by families of five other Iraqis who also died in the British-controlled sector.
These families plan to appeal.
