Khartoum starts trial of 21 military men in the March coupe attempt

The Sudanese news agency announced the beginning of the trial of 21 military men including six officers before the supreme military court in Khartoum yesterday under the charge of a coupe attempt in March 2004.

The accused persons who were presented before the court in their military uniform said they are not guilty. They will be accused of being rebels against the authority during the trial which is being held at the headquarters of the air force.

Maj. Gen. Ahmad Othman Abu Kalam presided over the session, helped by two army Maj. The audience listened to the list of accusation.

The military men are accused of planning to control strategic establishments including Khartoum's main bridge, the radio and military positions. The court added that they wanted to control weapons in order to arrest several important figures. The agency explained that lawyers attended the session and the court's commission permitted them to meet with the accused men.

On the other hand, one of the two rebel movements in Khartoum stressed it downed a helicopter for the Sudanese army in north darfur area after an attack launched by Khartoum.

Meantime, the Arab journalists federation decided to delegate a fact finding commission to Darfur to meet with officials in the area and in Khartoum so as to prepare full report to be discussed by the general secretariat in its next meeting.