Sudan rubbishes report linking it to assassination plot against AU chief
February 25, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government dismissed reports attributed to secret South African spy cables linking it to an alleged assassination plot against African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in 2012.
The two sides agreed to beef up Zuma’s security detail as South African military intelligence General T. Nyembe told his colleagues that “an unnamed state” was behind the plot and warned that there had been “another alert which further pointed out a potential assassination plot… to be carried out at a different venue.”
A meeting between security officials from Ethiopia and South Africa saw a revelation that Sudan is behind the plot. The Guardian and al-Jazeera give conflicting accounts of who pointed fingers at Khartoum or supplied the list of people believed to be the ones behind the plot.
The Spy Cables report that the director of Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) Hadera Abera, explained that they crosschecked the names of the plotters with “all entry points especially those bordering Sudan” but found no matches.
Another secret document showed Abera saying that in his service’s assessment, Sudan “would not carry out such operations” as it had “paid dearly in the attempted assassination of Egypt former President [Hosni] Mubarak” in 1995.
Government sources in Khartoum speaking to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday said that the report appears to be “clearly fabricated” and “unbelievable for any sound mind”.
The sources posed the question “Each crime has a strong motive, what is Sudan’s motive for assassinating this woman?”
They expressed amazement that the South African government and Mrs. Zuma herself remained silent all this time and never raised this issue if it was true.
“We believe these are fabricated reports and hastily written and without thought by circles that care only to tarnish Sudan’s reputation”.
(ST)