Sudan says investigation on coup attempt still underway
By: Wasil Ali
August 16, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government said that it is still investigating an alleged sabotage plot thwarted last month.
Sudanese security services arrested Mubarak al-Fadil, leader of the Umma Reform and Renewal opposition party over allegations of planning a coup attempt.
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.
Yesterday Sudan security services raided the house used by Al-Fadil as his office in Khartoum to review what they believed to be the “meeting place of the conspirators” according to Mohamed.
According to the statement Al-Fadil, Hamid and Al-Basha were present during the raid.
However the wife of Al-Fadil, Sumaya Idris, speaking to Sudan Tribune by phone said that the raid was a “show of force” by the government.
Idris said that the security services stormed the house in large numbers after surrounding it. She was not present at the time the raid was conducted and arrived after they left.
“They did not search the house but observed his [Al-Fadil’s] office before leaving. They could have conducted the raid in a more civilized manner” she added.
Al-Fadil’s office issued a statement saying that the “the number and arms of the force caused considerable alarm to members of Al-Fadil’s household especially the Umma Party Chairman’s sickly mother who is 87 years old.”
Sudan’s Justice Minister Mohamed Ali al-Mardi has said charges were being brought against 25 people but declined to say whether Al-Fadil was among them.
Sources speaking by phone to Sudan Tribune from Khartoum said that security services have been unable to get a confession from the alleged coup leaders including Al-Fadil.
Al-Fadil told interrogators that the last time he met General Hamid was a year ago when he sought his financial support for creating a new political party. Both Hamid and Al-Basha gave interrogators the same version of the story.
Al-Fadil was appointed as a presidential adviser for economic affairs in 2002 but was sacked after making contacts with the United States without Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir’s consent.
(ST)