¡¡¡¡WASHINGTON, February 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The Bush administration said Thursday that it is gathering war crimes evidence against Iraqi leaders.

¡¡¡¡"We do believe that (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein and his top lieutenants need to be held answerable for their actions," Pierre-Richard Prosper, U.S. ambassador for war crimes, said at a hearing of the U.S. House of Representative International Relations Committee.

¡¡¡¡"We have taken steps to collect information regarding abuses that have occurred. It is an effort that my office is involved in on a daily basis," he said.

¡¡¡¡Although Prosper questioned the professionalism and management of the current two international war crimes tribunals on Rwanda and former Yugoslavia respectively, he suggested that the Bush administration may back a similar forum in the future to prosecuteIraqi leaders, including President Saddam.

¡¡¡¡"We do believe there needs to be a forum created to address this issue," he said.

¡¡¡¡Prosper's testimony assumed importance because the Bush administration, which accused Iraq of developing weapons of mass destruction, has publicly confessed that it is focusing on a "regime change" in Iraq and considering various options to overthrow the Iraqi government led by Saddam. Enditem