Sudan accuse Darfur JEM of plotting to attack capital

May 8, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese authorities have announced that they have received information of an imminent plot by a Darfur rebel group to attack the capital and other major cities in the country.

The Sudanese army issued a statement late Thursday saying that it received information on “preparations made by rebel Khalil Ibrahim to conduct sabotage attempt and a publicity stunt through infiltrating the capital and other towns”.

No JEM official was immediately available for comment.

The army said that it had detected “infiltrations by these groups riding vehicles to the country through the Chadian borders”.

However the statement made no mention of any people arrested in connection with the plot.

The Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Khalil Ibrahim is believed to have the largest military rebel force in Darfur and has gained extra prominence in recent months through a series of clashes with government forces.

The Sudanese government routinely accused the Chadian government of supporting JEM rebels. The US special envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson told the congress that the Bush administration is pressuring Chadian president Idriss Deby to stop its backing of JEM.

Khartoum has accused its opponents since the 1989 coup of planning sabotage attempts in the capital but has none of the suspects arrested were indicted.

Last December Mubarak Al-Fadil, leader of the Umma Reform and Renewal was released after four months of detention following his arrest in connection with a sabotage and coup attempt in the country.

A total of 28 people arrested along with Al-Fadil in the alleged coup attempt were also released afterwards. It is widely believed that the Sudanese Security services had no material evidence against the alleged plotters.

The Sudanese army said that it has “taken all measures to secure the cities and buildings”.

International experts also say more than 300,000 were killed and 2 million have been driven from their homes by the conflict in Darfur, a region that is roughly the size of France.

(ST)