Slain US diplomat in Sudan got into an argument the night he was shot
January 1, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — An American diplomat shot in the Sudanese capital today got into an argument during the new years party according to press reports.
Granville was shot and killed along with his driver early Tuesday by gunmen in a passing car who cut him off as he was being driven home in Sudan’s capital.
The US official was being driven home at about 4 a.m. when another vehicle cut off his car and opened fire before fleeing the scene, the Sudanese Interior Ministry said.
John Granville, 33, was an official working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Sudan. He was working to implement a 2005 peace agreement between Sudan’s north and south that ended more than two decades of civil war, USAID said.
The newspaper said that Granville was gambling at the party with a number of diplomats and officers working at international organizations in Sudan.
One of the officials told Al-Hayat that the US diplomat “won a lot of money after which he got into a disagreement with the other gambling players then left angrily”.
“Some cars carrying diplomatic license plates followed him after he left” the official added.
The newspaper said that Granville was accompanied in the car by two women, an American and Sudanese. Both women were dropped off at their homes before Granville’s car headed to his place.
Granville is the first U.S. diplomat to be killed in Sudan since the 1973 assassination of U.S. Ambassador Cleo Noel, slain along with senior embassy officer George Curtis Moore by the Palestinian Black September militant group.
(ST)
Deng Akol Agut-tungdoun
Slain US diplomat in Sudan got into an argument the night he was shot
It is so unfortunate that Basheir regime is ful of these barbaric culprits that are now spoilling the beautiful names of our beloves Sudan. It is really behond normal, Alfred Taban said yesterday that the City is well secure and indeed in all corners of this big city there is police who are claiming to be providing security!. The big question to be asks now is who did the killing yet there is this tied security in the city?. Bashier must answer the question otherwise spoilling the name of Sudan by this imature government must not work. Taban in his yesterday statement was right and we must again ask ourseves who did the killing. Why is it that American are always killed in Sudan?.
James James
Slain US diplomat in Sudan got into an argument the night he was shot
My heartly condolence to the family and friends of Mr. Granville, may almighty father raise his soul, Amen.
I am heartly broken these days because as far as I could remember,in 1998, one BBC news analyst had termed Sudanese as the most generous and lovely people in the world, but as from today, I don’t understand if we are still retaining that reputation. What is going on now ? is our country currently infested heavily by terrorist or what ?
Look, just two months ago, British teacher who was there to assist had been jailed and now innocent American deplomat is slained what do sudanese want to display to the world?
Please Mr. bashir, if you love sudanese people, you have to protect those who left all they have in the west behind, just for the sake of giving help to the needy in Sudan, otherwise we will lose our value and decency through such barbaric actions. In other words, Sudanese should reject any kind of ill advice from extremist and view the Americans there as good people who are there to help others.
I hope something like that won’t repeat itself again.
God bless.