Sudan arrests opposition party leader

July 14, 2007 (DAMAZIN, Sudan) — Sudanese security forces arrested opposition party leader Mubarak al-Fadil and his Umma breakaway party secretary-general without giving any reason, a party official said on Saturday.

“He and the secretary-general Abdel Jelil al-Basha were arrested between 3 and 4 a.m. by national security,” said a party official who declined to be named for fear of possible reprisal. The two men were still under arrest, he said.

“No reason was given,” he added.

Security officials said they had no information on the reported arrests.

Fadil split from the popular Umma Party of his cousin, former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, and joined the ruling National Congress Party in early 2003, becoming a presidential advisor.

He was sacked in late 2004, and his party, which then held about nine ministerial and senior posts, splintered over whether to stay allied to the government. Fadil subsequently returned to opposition politics.

(Reuters)