From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Jan 19 2009 - 09:44:28 EST
Turabi accused of rebel links
19/01/2009 14:15 - (SA)
Khartoum - A detained Sudanese opposition leader could be tried over
accusations of supporting a Darfur rebel movement, state media reported on
Monday.
Hassan al-Turabi, an influential Islamist, was arrested last week after
calling on Sudan's president to surrender himself to the International
Criminal Court to face charges of orchestrating genocide in Darfur.
The Sudanese Media Centre quoted unnamed security sources as saying Turabi
and his aides were supporting Darfur's insurgent Justice and Equality
Movement financially and logistically.
"The source has not ruled out presenting Turabi for trial," it said. It did
not name specific charges.
Government sources outside state security, including the Ministry of
Justice, have so far not commented on the reasons for Turabi's detention.
Turabi's supporters on Monday denied any link to JEM.
Members of his opposition Popular Congress Party said security had arrested
Turabi to silence him in the build up to a ruling from the International
Criminal Court on whether to issue an arrest warrant against President Omar
Hassan al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Turabi was Bashir's ideologue until they split in a power struggle in
1999-2000.
International experts say 200 000 people have died since JEM and other
rebels took up arms against the government in 2003, accusing it of
neglecting the remote western region.
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----