The ruling party accuses al-Turabi party of planning acts of destruction, assassination
Sudan, Politics, 4/3/2004

The ruling party in Sudan has accused the opposition People's Congress party, which is led by Hassan al-Turabi, and whose activities were suspended, of planning for acts of destruction and assassination by using military acts with the aim of spreading "chaos" and "instability" in the country.

The Sudanese papers published a statement for the ruling National Congress party stressing that Turabi's party is involved "through several members of its political and military symbols, led by a colonel in the aviation army, in preparing for a criminal act that targeted attacks of the national strategic firms like al-Jeily oil refinery ( to the north of al-Khartoum), blowing up of one of the main electricity stations in the area of the villages adjoining the refinery."

The statement added that this plan also targeted attacks against the general command of the armed forces and a complex for heavy industries in the Jeyad city (south east of Khartoum), using air fighters in that in addition to lists of detentions and assassination for key figures in society and the state altogether. The statement called on the Sudanese citizens to "be careful so as to maintain their gains, security and national unity."

The ruling part stressed that the "admissions of persons involved "in this plan will be shown for the world shortly." One senior military official said that one of the detainees disclosed a plan to assassinate prominent political figures. He added that one army officer collapsed during the investigations and disclosed details of an assassination conspiracy for the People's Congress party with the targeted persons being remarkable figures in the government."

On Thursday, the Sudanese authorities decided to suspend the activities of the People's Congress party after it had announced it will bring Turabi, who was detained on Wednesday at dawn, to trial on charges of " implanting sedition and destabilization." Some 14 persons were at least detained from the party's leaderships and personnel, and the security forces closed the main center for the party in Khartoum and its headquarters in most of the Sudanese estates.

Meantime, the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael renewed his country's position regarding Njamina negotiations which started on Wednesday between the Sudanese government and the rebels of Darfour and the demands to continue the talks under the auspices of Chad and the African federation without foreign intervention. In statements he made to dailies issues in Khartoum yesterday, Ismael said that keeping the negotiations under the auspices of the African federation is in compliance with the UN charter which gives regional organizations the right to deal with internal conflict in being the most familiar with its due status. The Sudanese minister expressed his strong concern over the intensive American and European presence in the surrounding of the negotiations, noting to information sneaked by the deputy director of the American Aid Roger Winter in which he had talked about his special vision to solve the Darfour case, at a time when the Sudanese government agreed with Chad to draw the timetable of the negotiations in collaboration between the Chad's presidency and the two negotiating sides.

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum suspends activities of the people's congress activities; Turabi will be tried over sedition   (4/2/2004)
  Inter- Sudanese peace negotiations in Kenya extended; Turabi detained, accused of supporting Darfour's rebels   (4/1/2004)
  Sudan detains 10 army officers over involving in coupe operation   (3/31/2004)

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