Sudan committed to peace in south, denies releasing Turabi

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has called on the US to continue exerting efforts in order to reach a cease-fire between the Sudanese army and the rebels in Southern Sudan and to achieving peace in Sudan, stressing his country's need to the cooperation of the international community in the after war era, noting the Egyptian role in the peace process in the country.

The US envoy to Sudan, John Danforth, who conveyed a verbal message from the US President George Bush to the Sudanese President during their meeting in Khartoum on Saturday stressed that the US administration is committed to the peace process in Sudan and is ready to proceed forward in helping it to reach a final peace that halts the war and attains development.

On the other hand, the Sudanese constitutional court has denied to have had issued a decision to release Hassan al-Turabi, the leader of the Sudanese People's Congress party.

In a statement he made on Saturday, the court's chairman Jalal Lutfi explained that a complaint to this effect before the specialized judge, member of the court Ali Yahya has not been considered yet.

Certain figures including Turabi's wife and various mass media said that the Sudanese constitutional court ordered Turabi's release.

In December 1999, the Sudanese president desolved the Sudanese national council chaired by al-Turabi who was removed out from the ruling national congress ruling party in May 2000.

On February 21, 2001, Turabi and figures from the People's National party led by him were arrested on charges of obstructing the implementation of the constitution and launching a war against the state and toppling the regime by means of force.

Al-Turabi was released in October 2001 but kept under home arrest for security reasons despite the fact that judicial pursuits against him were stopped.