Photo: Salah Gosh (center) during the meeting with media figures January 10, 2009 (Sudanese Media Center)
Sudan's National Security director Salah Gosh was quoted on Saturday as saying his agents had been in touch with militant organisations in Sudan but he stopped short of accusing Islamic extremists of planning the attacks.
"He highlights he could not predict what kind of reaction outlaws could undertake if ICC issues a resolution. He suspects they may possibly target some aliens," the Sudanese Media Centre quoted Gosh as telling a meeting of senior newspaper editors.
His words were the most specific warning yet that foreigners and foreign organisations could bare the brunt of public anger after the ICC ruling, which is expected this month.
Source: Reuters report by Andrew Heavens in Khartoum Sunday 11 January 2009 - further excerpt:
Sudan security chief warns foreigners of attacks----
National Security director Salah Gosh's statement is the latest of a series of warnings from government figures, who have also accused the United States, Britain and France of using the court to force concessions out of Khartoum.
"He highlights he could not predict what kind of reaction outlaws could undertake if ICC issues a resolution. He suspects they may possibly target some aliens," the Sudanese Media Centre quoted Gosh as telling a meeting of senior newspaper editors.
Western embassies and U.N. bases in Khartoum have increased security in recent months. The United States has urged its citizens in Sudan to keep a low profile.
Sudan's state Suna news agency reported that Gosh accused the ICC's chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of being a "political activist" against Sudan and said the court's decision would be "political and not legal".
Sudan's state newspaper, Sudan Vision, quoted presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie as saying the ICC move "aims at toppling the Sudanese Government".
And presidential adviser Ghazi Salaheddin was quoted as saying the government had worked out "a plan ... to confront the ICC", without giving further details.
Last week, a senior official at Sudan's foreign ministry said an arrest warrant against Bashir would encourage rebels in Darfur to launch new attacks on cities and oil fields. (Editing by Elizabeth Piper)
From Sudan Tribune Saturday 10 January 2009 (Khartoum) - Westerners could be targets post ICC warrant: Sudan - excerpt:
The top security official in Sudan warned that an arrest warrant for president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir may make western nations targeted by radical groups in the country.
Salah Gosh, the head of Sudan’s National Security and Intelligence Service told a group of reporters that he expects security breaches by government and non-government parties if Al-Bashir is indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“All options are open. We cannot predict what will happen but we will work on securing the country” Gosh said however he rejected reports that Al-Qaeda group has a presence in Sudan.
“Al-Qaeda is not an organization but an ideology. The ideology cannot be beaten by a gun and measures” he added.
On relationship with other Security bureaus Gosh said that their cooperation with the CIA is “technical” and not political.
“They [CIA] cannot impose anything on us” he stressed.
In 2007 the Los Angeles Times revealed that Sudan has secretly worked with the CIA to spy on the insurgency in Iraq, an example of how the U.S. has continued to cooperate with the Sudanese regime even while condemning its suspected role in the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in Darfur.
The U.S.-Sudan relationship goes beyond Iraq. Sudan has helped the United States track the turmoil in Somalia. Sudanese intelligence service has helped the US to attack the Islamic Courts positions in Somalia and to locate Al Qaeda suspects hiding there.
Sudan acknowledges cooperation with CIA in the Horn of Africa but denied any work in Iraq.
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