The alleged foreign fighters were among 48 detainees convicted by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq between December 8 and 28 last year.

Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in March 2003, hundreds of Muslim volunteers have flooded into Iraq to fight against US forces and, increasingly, the Shiite-led government.

The Syrian and the Saudi "were captured on June 19 in a targeted raid on Al-Qaeda members," the statement said.

"The defendants were found guarding a house containing a hostage and both admitted they were responsible... On December 26 the trial panel considered all the evidence and sentenced the men to death," it said.

Iraqi army soldiers pulled the Sudanese off a bus on July 7.

"The defendant is a media leader for Al-Qaeda and produced videos and flyers for the organisation. The defendant confessed to being a member of Al-Qaeda multiple times to both Iraqi and multinational forces," the statement said.

He was sentenced to death on December 12. The statement did not say if or when the sentences were carried out.

Eight Iraqis were sentenced to life imprisonment during the same period, including one who was convicted of murder after taking part in a clash that left two soldiers from the US-led coalition.

The rest of the defendants -- including 28 Iraqis, two Saudis, a Syrian, two Yemenis, a Jordanian and a Sudanese -- were sentenced to between two and 30 years in prison for a mix of offences, including illegal border crossing.