Sudan Islamists detained after release on coup charges

KHARTOUM, Feb 23 (AFP) — Sudanese police arrested three senior officials of the Islamist Popular Congress party of Hassan al-Turabi Wednesday, soon after a court dismissed charges against them for planning a coup last March, a defence lawyer said.

Kamal Omar said Khartoum criminal court, which is trying 28 party members, ordered the release Jibreil al-Nayal, Ali Shamar, Ibrahim Mohammed Sultan, Nour Eddin Adam Ali and Baroud Sandal for lack of evidence.

“While they were going through the procedures of their release in Kober Prison, Al-Nayal, Sultan and Ali were collected by the security and taken to an unknown place,” Omar said, in what was “defiance of a judicial order.”