Sudan says UN warning on terror threat “nonsense”

Feb 7, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The State Minister at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Aliu Ayang Aliu, said he considered the statement was aimed only at creating confusion and fear. However, he stressed that his ministry would do its utmost to secure and protect potential target areas.

The minister told Al-Sahafah that he had not heard of any such statement and described the warning as “nonsense” adding that no cases had been filed at police stations in this regard. “These interests the statement claims are being targeted aren’t they of concern to us?” Ayang questioned.

“Of course they are and we will work to protect and defend them,” he added. Ayang pointed out that the ministry of interior would study the statement before issuing a suitable response. He further reassured citizens and foreigners that the situation in the national capital is stable.

The UN mission in Sudan has said that an extremist group, based in Sudan, is planning to target western interests here. The USA Embassy in Khartoum also has warned its citizens of such threat.

In this regard the ministry of foreign affairs rejected the statement issued by the US embassy saying it was merely speculation and was not based on facts. The official spokesman for the ministry, Ambassador Ali al-Sadiq, said the embassy should have verified the information first before issuing the statement.

He said the ministry had not received any notification by the embassy or any others of being threatened or otherwise. Al-Sadiq told Al-Sahafah yesterday that the embassy should have resorted to the ministry if it had any concerns or was subjected to any threats “because it is the ministry’s duty to protect it under all circumstances like all embassies and diplomatic missions in the country,” he added.

(ST)