Sudan welcomes its removal from one US terrorism list

KHARTOUM, Sudan, May 20, 2004 (AP) — Sudan has welcomed its removal from a U.S. list of countries deemed uncooperative in the war against terrorism, and called for its removal from the U.S. list of states that allegedly sponsor terrorists.

Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell deleted Sudan from the list of states considered “non-cooperative” in the war against terrorists. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Sudan was removed because of its “remarkable” collaboration in sharing information with the U.S.

“This is a positive step which has come late,” Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail was quoted as saying in the official Sudanese newspaper Al-Anba Thursday. “It should have taken place long ago.”

Four other countries remain on the non-cooperative list: Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Libya.

Ismail said Washington should now remove Sudan “altogether from the list of countries considered sponsors of terrorism,” Al-Anba reported.

But State Department spokesman Boucher said Sudan would remain on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. He said the Sudanese government harbors the Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The U.S. lists both groups as terrorist.