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Court accuses Sudanese official of aiding in atrocities

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published February 28, 2007

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The International Criminal Court's prosecutor on Tuesday linked Sudan's government to atrocities in Darfur, naming a minister close to the president as a war crimes suspect who helped recruit, arm and bankroll the murderous desert fighters known as the janjaweed.

Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo made the allegations against Ahmed Muhammed Harun, now junior minister for humanitarian affairs and formerly junior interior minister for the western region of Darfur. The prosecutor also named Ali Mohammed Ali Abd-al-Rahman, saying he was a janjaweed militia leader known as Ali Kushayb.

After a 21-month investigation, a 94-page prosecution document said the two are suspected of a total of 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Moreno-Ocampo said. All but 10 of the 51 counts name both men.

While the prosecution document is not an indictment, it does say there are reasonable grounds to believe the two "bear criminal responsibility" for offenses including murder, rape, torture and persecution.

The announcement was a key step toward putting the suspects on trial in The Hague. But the court faces an uphill battle to get custody of them.

Sudan's justice minister, Mohammed Ali al-Mardi, rejected the allegations and said his government would not hand the men over for trial.

The announcement was the court's first action against individuals for war crimes in the 4-year-old Darfur conflict, which has claimed more than 200,000 lives and displaced 2.5-million people.

The Bush administration endorsed the court's action and urged Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's government to cooperate.

Human rights groups also welcomed the move but urged action against more senior figures.

Fighting in the arid western Sudan region erupted in February 2003 when black African Sudanese rebels rose against the ethnic Arab central government, complaining of decades of neglect and discrimination.

[Last modified February 28, 2007, 01:24:24]