Detention of Sudan former spy chief extended for 2 weeks
June 24, 2013, (KHARTOUM) – The judge of Khartoum’s Central criminal court Osama Ahmed Abdalla, has decided to renew the detention of the former head of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Salah Gosh for two more weeks pending a decision on the appeal submitted by his defense team to the justice minister.
He said that the minister of justice will decide on the appeal upon his return from a business trip to Saudi Arabia.
After more than six months in detention, the ex-spy chief and his associate Major General Salah Ahmed Abdalla were formally charged this month with undermining the constitutional order, inciting violence to topple the legitimate government and breaching the anti-terrorism law.
Under Sudan’s penal code these charges carry the death penalty or life imprisonment.
“We believe he is not guilty of all these charges,” his lawyer, Ali Al-Saeed, told Agence France Presse (AFP).
Sudan Tribune has learned that some parties are leading mediation efforts to secure his release.
President Bashir twice issued decrees over the last two months pardoning and commuting sentences for army and security officers convicted in connection with the coup.
However, the Sudanese president excluded his former adviser and ex-director of NISS.
Sources with knowledge of the ongoing investigation into the recent coup attempt have told Sudan Tribune that Gosh and the four security officers detained with him refused to demand the presidential pardon as it was done by the military.
Gosh headed Sudan’s NISS for about a decade until Bashir replaced him in 2009.
During his tenure Gosh boosted cooperation with the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) particularly after September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
After leaving the security service he became presidential security adviser but was sacked in early 2011.
(ST)