WASHINGTON, May 25: The United States will demolish the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, on the outskirts of Baghdad, where abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers engendered worldwide outrage, the White House said on Tuesday.

President Bush made the promise to demolish the prison in a prime-time speech on Monday night during which he also outlined a five-point plan to meet the June 30 deadline to transfer sovereignty in Iraq.

"Under Saddam Hussein, prisons like Abu Ghraib were symbols of death and torture. That same prison became a symbol of disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonoured our country and disregarded our values," said Mr Bush.

Seven soldiers have been court-martialled in connection with the investigation into the Abu Ghraib revelations. "With the approval of the Iraqi government, we will demolish the Abu Ghraib prison as a fitting symbol of Iraq's new beginning," Mr Bush said.

The US would pay for the construction of a new maximum-security prison to which Abu Ghraib's inhabitants would be transferred, he said.