Photo: Daily Nation

President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (file photo): It is not clear what the scope of the sabotage attempt was and there is no indication that this was a coup attempt against the government.

Khartoum — Sudan's former director of National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Salah Gosh has been arrested in connection with the alleged sabotage uncovered today.

The Turkey based Anadul news agency and Saudi owned Al-Arabiya TV quoted Sudanese sources as saying that Gosh has been taken into custody.

There was no official confirmation by Khartoum.

Earlier today NISS source told government run Media Center (SMC) website as saying that they have foiled a plot to destabilize security led by opposition figures.

The source disclosed that arrests were made that among civilian and military individuals.

There were also unconfirmed reports of arrests made to several senior military commanders who are close to Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

Gosh is the poster boy of counter terrorism cooperation between the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and Sudan's NISS, over which he presided since 2002 until he was surprisingly demoted to the rank of a presidential adviser for security affairs in August 2009.

Last year he was also removed by Bashir from his advisory role for unknown reasons as well with some officials hinting at a power struggle and others speculating a coup attempt he planned.