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Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels

October 26, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir has shed more light on his country’s backing of the Libyan rebels who ousted Muammar Gaddafi after months of fighting, saying they were fully armed by Khartoum.

Sudan's president Omer Al-Bashir (GETTY)
Sudan’s president Omer Al-Bashir (GETTY)
Al-Bashir made the revelation while addressing a rally held on Wednesday’s afternoon in his country’s eastern town of Kassala, where he inaugurated an international road linking Sudan and Eritrea.

Brandishing his stick and addressing the crowd in the presence of his Eritrean counterpart Isaias Afewerki and the Emir of Qatar Hamad Bin-Khalifah al-Thani, the Sudanese leader said that Libya under Gaddafi played a strong role in destabilizing Sudan through supporting rebel groups in the Western region of Darfur and former southern rebels who now rule the newly independent state of South Sudan.

He went on to say that the ousted Libyan regime had supported the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) which, according to Al-Bashir, “made it all the way to Khartoum with Libyan weapons, vehicles and fund.”

Al-Bashir said his government had clutched at the opportunity to bring double retaliation on its Libyan counterpart for supporting the attack on Khartoum.

“Our weapons reached the revolutionaries in Misrata, Al-Jabal al-Gharbi and Zawiya,” Al-Bashir declared, adding that “the forces that liberated the [Libyan capital] Tripoli were armed 100 percent by Sudan.”

Sudan previously accused Chad of being behind JEM’s attack on Khartoum which occurred in March 2008. Following a thaw in long-strained ties between Khartoum and Ndjamena last year, however, Sudan refrained from repeating the accusations.

In his address, Al-Bashir said that “God took care of many of the tools of conspiracy against Sudan,” in reference to the killing of Gaddafi last week.

Sudan’s military support to Libyan rebels was conducted in secrecy until the rebels advanced on Tripoli and appeared to be on the verge of victory, at which point Sudanese officials began to disclose the support.

The Sudanese support was later confirmed by the head of the rebels’ National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustafa Abdul Jalil, who said in August that Khartoum’s support had helped them to “liberate some cities.”

Bashir downplays ICC’s arrest warrants

Al-Bashir did not omit to pour his usual scorn on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its prosecutor Louis Moreno Ocampo, saying that the arrest warrants they issued for him had failed to prevent him from travelling.

After performing his famous dance, Al-Bashir said that Ocampo had challenged him to travel to a place farther than Eritrea which he visited in the wake of the first arrest warrant in 2008, but he accepted the challenge and traveled to Qatar despite warnings by some people of the American presence there.

“I told them Americans cannot touch a strand of my hair if the invitation is coming from Shaykh Hamad,” he said.

The ICC charges Al-Bashir with committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur where his government’s forces waged an abusive counter insurgency in 2003 and 2004 against rebels accusing it of marginalizing the region. Darfur conflict led to the death of 300,000 people and displacement of more than 2.7 million, according to UN figures.

Despite the ICC’s arrest warrants, Al-Bashir has travelled to several countries in Sudan’s Arab and African milieu, including some member states of the ICC.

However, Al-Bashir was forced to cancel a number of planned appearances in countries such as Uganda and the Central Africa Republic.

(ST)

10 Comments

  • Abugua
    Abugua

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    We all know that Bashir have been headage to his neighbors by supporting rebels like LRA, Athor, Gadet, Tanginya including others like Chad rebels in the past. Iam sure he will continue to destabilize the region.For this region to rest Bashir must go to Hague

    Reply
  • Dr. Reality
    Dr. Reality

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    SUDAN MILITARY SUPPORT TO NTC:
    Arming NTC to weaken Darfur rebels is a selfish ideas and will never weaken Darfur rebels, NTC in libya are pro democratic ideologists and soon the will also support they Darfur rebels ”just” to get their freedom and please Mr. Bashir if you dont care about ICC, Stopping talking about them where ever you rally. it gives an impression that you are worried about ICC

    Reply
  • okucu pa lotinokwan
    okucu pa lotinokwan

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    Should Gadaffi to be live and defeated the Libya Rebel,Omer Bashir would have said that he is the one who keep Gadaffi still in power,why liar you day is coming.

    OKUCU PA LOTINOKWAN

    Reply
  • Sudan virus
    Sudan virus

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    It must not be forgotten that Gadaffi protected perpetrators of genocide in Darfur from the ICC indictment while chairman of the AU!

    Reply
  • Chanson
    Chanson

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    Moammar Gadhafi was an Africa,s great man but Al Bushir said he is involved in the death of our big man.Shame on you Murderer.But one thing you need to know is this,its your time to be display to the public to see your ugly mofucker face,for viewing when you,re totally dead believe me that one will happen soon.R.I.P Gadhafi.

    Reply
  • Marco A. Wek
    Marco A. Wek

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    Yes Bashir, no one will doubt you helping Libyan rebels because you are well known for helping rebels in all the neighbouring countries with no known positive results.

    But mind you Bashir, Libyan rebels would have been crashed by late Gadafi had it been for your support and not that of NATO and the USA air support that destroyed Libyan military power that was by far mightier than yours.

    Reply
  • Apolloos
    Apolloos

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    OK!!!!!! Bashier was behind the riot in Libya another big question/charge. Where is the ICC to prosecute the big international terror? African countries must seriously face Bashier because all these rebels everywhere in Africa are his Militias. I even doubt if ICC is seriou.

    Reply
  • Baring
    Baring

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    Pres. Bashir is adding another case to his old one with ICC by admitting that he suppot the Rebel in Libya openly to the world. So all the negbouring countries are not going to trust him becaouse of his underground move.

    Reply
  • Peter Nhiany
    Peter Nhiany

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    Bashir, there is nothing good to barage about. You are a well known criminal and you do not have to validate it to the world which is already well aware of your ruthless behavior. One thing people need to know is that, Bashir has nothing to lose; he has no kids of his own whom he should worry to be affected about any retaliation from his enemies. Only children of innocent civilian will suffer.

    Reply
  • Peter Nhiany
    Peter Nhiany

    Bashir says Sudan armed Libyan rebels
    Hi Apolloos. ICC appears to be a dog without teeth. I do not know why Bashir a criminal of war and human rights abuse defies ICC directly without fear at all. How could he travel ICC members States and his plane has not been intercepted? There has to be something to it; because it is not ethical to let things slide in legal system. Bahsir should had been dead way before Libyan former President.

    Reply
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