ICC names first war crimes suspects in Darfur

[pinto]

ICC names first war crimes suspects in Darfur
27 Feb 2007 17:59:20 GMT
Source: Reuters

THE HAGUE, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor named a Sudanese minister and a militia commander on Tuesday as the first suspects he wants tried for war crimes in Darfur and suggested more could follow.

Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked pre-trial judges to issue summonses for Ahmed Haroun, state interior minister during the height of the Darfur conflict, and militia commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb.

"Our work sends a signal: those who commit atrocities cannot do so without impunity," he told a news conference.

Moreno-Ocampo accused the pro-government Janjaweed militia and the Sudanese army of targeting civilian populations they believed supported rebel forces who took up arms in 2003 against the Khartoum government, charging it with neglect.

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In a 94-page filing, ICC prosecutors accused the two of criminal responsibility in relation to 51 counts of alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in 2003 and 2004, and urged Khartoum to make sure the suspects appear at the court.

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L27221593.htm

[applegrove]

1. Glad they were named. Thanks for posting this important information.