ICC seeks Beshir's arrest
2008-07-14 14:34
The Hague - The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court sought on Monday the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir for alleged war crimes in strife-torn Darfur.
Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said in a statement that Beshir had "masterminded and implemented" a plan to destroy a large portion of three ethnic groups in Sudan.
His appeal to the court's judges marked the first time the arrest of a sitting head of a state had been requested at the ICC.
The bold move came despite fears and warnings that it could enflame tensions in Darfur and lead to the expulsion of aid workers and peacekeepers in Sudan's western region.
"ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has presented evidence today showing that the Sudanese President committed the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur," his office said in a statement.
Moreno-Ocampo "has concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe that (Beshir) bears criminal responsibility in relation to 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes".
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged Sudan's government to co-operate with the court.
Ban 'very worried'
"We call on the government of Sudan to co-operate with the International Criminal Court. The International Criminal Court has our support for its activities," said Brown at his monthly press conference.
However, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in an interview published on Monday that he was "very worried" by the possibility of Beshir's indictment.
"It would have very serious consequences for peacekeeping operations including the political process," he told Le Figaro newspaper. "I'm very worried, but nobody can evade justice."
Judges will now examine the application to ascertain whether reasonable grounds exist to believe that a crime within the court's jurisdiction had been committed, before deciding whether to issue a warrant or not - a process that could take several months.
Khartoum, which rejects the ICC's jurisdiction and refuses to surrender two war crimes suspects already named, has warned that the move could threaten peace efforts.
Arab and African leaders have also warned of the consequences.
'Grave ramifications'
The African Union's Peace and Security Council "expressed its strong conviction that the search for justice should be pursued in a way that does not impede or jeopardize efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace".
The Arab League said it would hold crisis talks on Sudan, while the Organisation of the Islamic Conference warned of "grave ramifications".
China's UN ambassador said that plans to issue a warrant for Beshir would put peace prospects "in jeopardy".
About 1 000 demonstrators rallied in Khartoum on Sunday, denouncing the anticipated charges at a government-sponsored protest as Beshir chaired an emergency cabinet meeting.