Sudan’s Al-Turabi denies his detention in Egypt
July 21, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s veteran Islamist Hassan Al-Turabi has ridiculed reports of his detention by Egyptian intelligence officials upon his arrival at Cairo airport on Wednesday.
The 79-year-old leader masterminded the Islamist-backed coup that brought Sudan president Omer Al-Bashir to power in 1989.
In 1999, however, he was ousted in an internal power struggle that saw his former acolytes in the Islamic movement turn against him. He later split to form the Popular Congress Party (PCP) and joined the ranks of the opposition against Al-Bashir’s regime.
Speaking to reporters following a meeting he held on Thursday with the Shaykh of Al-Azhar in Cairo, Al-Turabi described rumors of his detention at the airport as a “figment of absurdity,” adding that he was late to come out of the airport because he was waiting for the arrival of his deputy Ali Al-Hag.
Sudan Tribune learned that Al-Haj, who lives in exile in Germany, had encountered difficulties in obtaining an entry visa at the airport.
Al-Turabi further said that he would meet with a number of Egyptian political forces to convey their experience in governing Sudan to the people in Egypt in order to avoid the problems of Islamic rule.
Meanwhile, Al-Turabi’s scheduled visit to Al-Tahrir square on Friday was cancelled due to “security concerns,” Sudan Tribune’s sources said, adding that it appears that Egyptian intelligence officials told Al-Turabi it would be difficult to safeguard him there.
Al-Tahrir square, which was the focal point of the Egyptian revolution that unseated Mubarak in February, is currently the scene of renewed protests against the rule of the council of armed forces.
(ST)