International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Sudan's president

Published on Wednesday 4 March 2009 14:55

THE International Criminal Court today issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on war crimes charges in Darfur.

But the three-judge panel in The Hague said there was insufficient evidence to accuse him of genocide.

A court spokeswoman said: "He is suspected of being criminally responsible ... for intentionally directing attacks against an important part of the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property."

Al-Bashir is the first sitting head of state ordered arrested by the court since it started work in 2002.

Asked why judges, in a 2-1 split decision, did not issue the warrant for genocide the spokeswoman explained that genocide requires a clear intent to destroy in part or as a whole a specific group.

"In this particular case, the pre-trial chamber has not been able to find there were reasonable grounds to establish a genocidal intent," she said.

Sudan does not recognise the court's jurisdiction and refuses to arrest suspects.

Sudanese TV ran a brief news report that the warrant had been issued.

The broadcaster on state radio announced the decision, and added, "a new chapter now begins" but did not elaborate.

In Khartoum security was increased around many embassies, and some diplomats and aid workers stayed at home amid fears of retaliation against Westerners. The ruling party announced that it plans a "million man march" in Khartoum tomorrow to protest at the warrant.