U.S. concerned about release of the killer of USAID staff members

February 1, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The United States voiced deep concern over the release of a Jihadist militant who killed USAID personnel in Khartoum on January 1, 2008.

Sudan’s Supreme Court ordered the release of Abdel-Ra’uf Abuzaid based on the payment of compensation to the family of the U.S. diplomat John Granville, in the deal stroke with Washington to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, while the family of the Sudanese employee pardoned the killer.

“The United States expresses our deep concern over the January 30 release of Abdel-Ra’uf Abuzaid, one of the individuals convicted of the 2008 murders of our colleagues John Granville and Abdel Rahman Abbas.  Abdel-Ra’uf Abuzaid remains a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” read a statement released by the State Department on Wednesday.

Ned Price, U.S. Department Spokesperson, further underscored “the lack of transparency” in the legal process “that led to Abuzaid’s release and the “inaccurate assertion” that his release was part of Sudan’s removal from the terrorism blacklist in 2020.

His family told Sudan Tribune that the Supreme Court consulted the foreign ministry in Khartoum, which gave the judges the green light for his release saying it was part of the 2020 deal.

The case of the high court judges who are known for their support of the former regime was one of the main topics discussed at a conference for the dismantlement of the former regime held last January.

The State Department told Reuters that the U.S. embassy in Khartoum is in touch with the Sudanese government to get more information about Abuzaid’s release.

According to Reuters, the U.S. State Department said it was aware of reports that Hamza had been released.

“We call for full accountability for the murders of John Granville and his Sudanese colleague Abdelrahman Abbas Rahma,” a State Department spokesperson told Reuters

(ST)