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Sudan: Indictment Will Spur Wrath

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The Associated Press

Published: July 14, 2008

KHARTOUM, Sudan - Sudan's ruling party warned Sunday there will be more violence in Darfur if the country's president is indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide, while hundreds of people rallied in Khartoum to support the leader.

A prosecutor at the International Criminal Court is expected to seek an arrest warrant today charging President Omar al-Bashir with orchestrating violence in Darfur.

In Sudan, the ruling National Congress Party called the case against al-Bashir "irresponsible, cheap, political blackmail" that has no legal basis, according to a statement from the party that was broadcast on state TV. It also warned there would be "more violence and blood" in Darfur if an arrest warrant is issued against the president.

Al-Bashir huddled with Cabinet ministers and advisers Sunday, weighing how the government would respond to any action taken by the ICC. Sudan has also asked the Arab League for a meeting of Arab foreign ministers.

The ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, said prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo will present evidence of war crimes in Darfur to judges Monday and one or more new suspects would be named. U.N. officials and diplomats have said Moreno-Ocampo will seek an arrest warrant against al-Bashir.

The prosecutor has clearly indicated that he is aiming for the top leadership of the Sudanese government, accusing them of sponsoring the janjaweed militias who have unleashed a reign of terror on the country's Darfur region.

As many as 300,000 people have died and more than 2.5 million have been displaced since the conflict began in early 2003.

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