Sudan: International Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Bashir

4 March 2009
allAfrica.com

The International Criminal Court issued a warrant Wednesday for the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity arising out of the war in Darfur.

However, the court declined to include the charge of genocide in the warrant. It said the prosecution had failed to provide reasonable grounds for believing that that government of Sudan had the intent to destroy specific groups of people in Darfur.

Bashir becomes the first sitting head of state to be indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Announcing the decision in a news conference at The Hague, the court's Dutch headquarters, spokeswoman Laurence Blairon said the court had appealed for cooperation in executing the warrant from the government of Sudan, from all states which subscribed to the court, from members of the United Nations Security Council and from other states whose help may be necessary.

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