Sudan accusues US of involvement in a foiled sabotage plot
By: Wasil Ali
July 16, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government accused the US for the first time of involvement in a sabotage plot foiled yesterday.
The former presidential assistant was arrested along with a number of retired army generals, including retired general Mohamed Ali Hamid, who worked as deputy director of security in the late eighties, as well as former minister of tourism, Abdeljalil al-Basha.
Sudan’s preisdential adviser Nafi Ali Nafi told Al Jazeera news channel based in Qatar that Washington was behind the sabotage plot.
Nafi said that Al-Fadil and others were also planning to assasinate members of the Sudanese government.
Osman Mirghani of the daily Al-Sudani newspaper who spoke by phone to Sudan Tribune, dismissed the accusations by the Sudanese government against the US.
The prominent columnist noted that Khartoum consistently uses Washington as a “scapegoat for any problem that happens in the country”.
Sudanese security and intelligence services reversed their earlier version of the plot in which they alleged that Al-Fadil sought Libyan support.
On Saturday the Sudanese government said that Libya notified them of Al-Fadil’s plans.
The contradictory statements by Sudanese officials regarding the plot cast doubt over whether the accusations are politically motivated.
Analysts speaking to Sudan Tribune say that Al-Fadil’s contacts with the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) embarrassed the ruling National Congress Party and the decided to take this measure to block any rapprochement with the Umma party in the context of the forthcoming elections.
(ST)