Updated

U.S. officials say the Obama administration is preparing to transfer a military detainee in Afghanistan for criminal trial in federal court in Virginia.

The move would mark the first time a military detainee from Afghanistan was brought to the U.S. for trial, and it represents the Obama administration's latest attempt to show that it can use the criminal court system to deal with terror suspects.

Officials said the prisoner, known as Irek Hamidullan, is a Russian veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan who defected to the Taliban and stayed in the country. Officials said he was captured in 2009 after an attack on Afghan border police and U.S. soldiers in Khost province.

The congressional and administration officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss classified information.