Sudanese official says some coup plotters “confessed”

November 27, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The state minister at the presidency of the republic in Sudan, Amin Hassan Omar, claimed on Tuesday that some of the plotters of the coup attempt allegedly foiled by intelligence authorities last week confessed to the charge.

On 22 November, Sudan said it arrested 13 military and civilian individuals including ex-spy chief Salah Gosh and Brigadier-General Mohammed Ibrahim Abdul Galil of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on accusation of plotting a coup but some opposition groups and even affiliates of the regime cast doubts on the story saying it’s a charade designed to outcast reformists and pesky elements from the army.

In an article he published on his Facebook page, Omer said that some of the elements involved in the coup had confessed. He also said that their plan was discovered because they shared it with certain political groups who can’t keep a secret.

Sudan media minister Ahmad Bilal Osman said on Monday that two opposition members were also arrested in connection with the attempt but he did not identify them or their political affiliation.

Omer denied that the plot was an indication of a power struggle within the NCP saying that those who plotted this attempt had deluded themselves into believing that they are reforms seekers.

Meanwhile, President Omer Al-Bashir appeared at the Ministry of Defense on Tuesday following a new bout of rumors about his health situation and that he went to Saudi Arabia for further treatment. Defense minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussain told reporters that Al-Bashir received briefing on the coup plot and the progress of investigations with those arrested.

Hussain said that Al-Bashir also received briefing on the security situation in the western region of Darfur and the border states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, where government forces have been fighting local insurgents since last year.

In a related context, the leading member of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and former intelligence chief, Qutbi Al-Mahdi, said on Tuesday that investigations into the coup plot proved that there are no major opposition groups behind it.

Al-Mahdi downplayed the scale of the attempt saying it was nothing but contacts and meetings that could have led to something in the future.

His comment contradicts the official story which says that the attempt was a coup that was foiled at the Zero Hour. He also told reporters that the attempt was exaggerated and that the limited arrests aimed a preemptive move to ensure nothing will happen in the future.

(ST)