Westerners could be targets post ICC warrant: Sudan

January 10, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The top security official in Sudan warned that an arrest warrant for president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir may make western nationals targeted by radical groups in the country.

Salah Gosh, the head of Sudan’s National Security and Intelligence Service told a group of reporters that he expects security breaches by government and non-government parties if Al-Bashir is indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“All options are open. We cannot predict what will happen but we will work on securing the country” Gosh said however he rejected reports that Al-Qaeda group has a presence in Sudan.

“Al-Qaeda is not an organization but an ideology. The ideology cannot be beaten by a gun and measures” he added.

The Sudanese government has been bracing for the ICC judges’ decision on the charges brought against Al-Bashir.

In mid-July the ICC’s prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder and accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.

The Judges returned from recess on Monday and their ruling is expected before the end of the month.

Gosh accused Ocampo of being a “political activist who travels around the world doing diplomatic and media work with a political agenda. The court’s decision is a political one and not judicial”.

He further said that the Sudanese judiciary is capable of prosecuting any crimes that occurred in Darfur.

Separately Gosh said that the controversial security law before parliament is consistent with the constitution and dismissed demands to restrict the role of the bureau to “information gathering”.

On the press law the security chief said that he is not keen on enforcing censorship “but there must some form of it and we must agree on its mechanisms”.

Furthermore he said that dialogue is underway with journalists regarding the press law and will continue in the coming period.

The Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) have been seeking to break a deadlock on a number of laws including the National Security Law, Press Law, Land Commission and Human Rights Commission.

However the Sudanese parliament adjourned for recess after failing to reach an agreement.

SPLM officials that they could agree on the Press and Publications Act which gives the Press Council powers of control and accountability on the press, provided that the Council be elected by journalists and publishers.

Furthermore the Southern ex-rebels want changes in the National Security Law to incorporate the appointment of the National Security Service Director, appointment of his deputies, and the power to arrest.

The SPLM contends that the National Security Bureau functions should be limited to gathering intelligence information and analyzing it.

On relationship with other Security bureaus Gosh said that their cooperation with the CIA is “technical” and not political.

“They [CIA] cannot impose anything on us” he stressed.

In 2007 the Los Angeles Times revealed that Sudan has secretly worked with the CIA to spy on the insurgency in Iraq, an example of how the U.S. has continued to cooperate with the Sudanese regime even while condemning its suspected role in the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in Darfur.

The U.S.-Sudan relationship goes beyond Iraq. Sudan has helped the United States track the turmoil in Somalia. Sudanese intelligence service has helped the US to attack the Islamic Courts positions in Somalia and to locate Al Qaeda suspects hiding there.

Sudan acknowledges cooperation with CIA in the Horn of Africa but denied any work in Iraq.

(ST)