The US military has condemned the Sun for publishing photographs of a captive Saddam Hussein and said it was "aggressively" investigating who took them.

Today's paper carries a series of photographs showing the former Iraqi dictator in his cell, including one on the front page showing him in his underwear. Another shows him washing clothes under the headline "Tyrant? He's washed up".

The Sun says it obtained the photos from "US military sources" who handed them over "in the hope of dealing a body blow to the resistance in Iraq".

"Saddam is not superman or God, he is now just an aging and humble old man," the paper quotes its source as saying. "It's important that the people of Iraq see him like that to destroy the myth."

But in a statement issued today, the American military in Baghdad said the photos violated military guidelines "and possibly Geneva convention guidelines for the humane treatment of detained individuals".

"The source of those photos is unknown at this time. It is believed the photos were taken over a year ago."

The US military said it was "aggressively" investigating to determine who took the pictures.

"We take seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all detainees," the statement said. "This lapse is being aggressively investigated to determine, if possible, who took the photos, and to ensure existing procedures and directives are complied with to prevent this from happening again."