The Hague - A Sudanese militia leader is set to appear
before the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges today
after voluntarily turning himself in to the world body.
Bahar Idriss Abu Garda is set to appear at 3 pm (1300 GMT) in the
court in the Hague on charges relating to an attack against the
African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in 2007 that left 12 people
dead.
His arrival in The Hague follows a closed hearing earlier in May
during which the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber said there were reasonable
grounds to believe he was guilty of murder and intentionally
directing attacks against personnel, material and property of the
AMIS peacekeeping mission and pillaging.
Abu Garda, a member of the Sudanese Zaghawa tribe, was the first
of four Sudanese citizens charged by the ICC to voluntarily turn
himself in to the court.
Unlike three other Sudanese suspects, including Sudanese President
Omar al-Bashir, the court had not issued a warrant for Abu Garda's
arrest. Because he had stated his willingness to cooperate, the court
merely summoned him.
Court Registrar Silvana Arbia said 'the voluntary appearance of
Abu Garda might serve to encourage other suspects currently at large
to come before the court to be heard with all guarantees of a fair
trial.'
ICC-chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said in a statement he
'welcomed' the fact Abu Garda had voluntarily reported to the court.
He also said cooperation by all parties to the conflict with the
ICC, as mandated by UN resolutions, is of critical importance.'
The alleged attack occurred on September 29, 2007 against the
African peacekeeping mission stationed at the Military Group Site
Haskanita in Umm Kadada, North Darfur.
According to the ICC prosecutor, some 1,000 troops of the rebel
Justice and Equality Movement allegedly killed twelve, and severely
wounded eight, AMIS soldiers. They also destroyed AMIS material and
property.
Moreno Ocampo also said 'the attack on African Union peacekeepers
in Haskanita was an attack on millions of civilians they had come to
protect; we will prosecute those allegedly responsible'
During today's arraignment before Italian Judge Cuno Tarfusser,
Abu Garda will be informed of the crimes he alleged committed.
A confirmation hearing will be held shortly to determine whether
or not there are substantial grounds to believe that he committed the
crimes charged.
Abu Garda is the fourth suspect in the Darfur conflict to be tried
at the ICC, but the first to appear before the court. The other
suspects, Ahmad Muhammad Harun, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman and Al
Bashir, remain at large.
USA
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