Sudan censors papers after thwarted bomb plot
August 22, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Four newspapers in Sudan are being blocked by the government from reporting on a thwarted plot to attack U.S., U.N., British and French targets in Khartoum, journalists said on Wednesday.
The opposition al-Rai al-Shaab did not print for the second straight day after security forces intervened at the printing press on Wednesday.
“They wanted to remove some (articles), but we said we’d have to leave the spaces blank and they refused, so they didn’t allow the paper to print,” said Ashraf Mohamed from the daily which is linked to opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi.
Media leave blank spaces to show readers what was censored.
The independent al-Sudani paper said it and two other independent papers were also being targeted, while other papers deemed as pro-government had been allowed to print the same comments made by government officials on the thwarted plot to bomb Western interests in Khartoum.
“They are calling us an opposition paper but we are independent and objective and represent all the political views,” said acting editor-in-chief Noureddine Medani.
He said national security officials had removed two columns and two other news pieces from the paper. The paper had made an official complaint to the National Press Council.
The independent al-Sahafa and al-Ayyam were also censored.
A national security force official said the censorship followed a ban on all reporting on the plot until investigations were complete.
“All papers are being monitored, not just some,” he said.
“Comments from officials are allowed to be published but opinions and other things just cause confusion,” he added.
State news agency SUNA quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig as saying late on Sunday that authorities had arrested all but two of a group plotting to attack Western interests.
Following the arrests of eight people and the discovery of three arms caches last week, authorities had said there was no “terrorist threat”. But local papers printed details of a plot against Western interests and bomb-making materials.
Officials later confirmed there was a bomb plot, but denied any possible involvement by the militant al Qaeda network.
The British embassy in Khartoum reopened public services on Wednesday after a temporary closure citing the bomb plot.
(Reuters)