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Sudanese official dismisses war crimes allegations

A former Sudanese minister accused of war crimes in Darfur by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has dismissed the allegations as false and politically motivated.

"I can defend myself and I am not worried at all," secretary of state for humanitarian affairs Ahmed Mohammed Haroun told reporters late on Tuesday on his return from Jordan, where he underwent medical tests.

"My conscience is at rest and I do not feel guilty because I acted within the legal framework and in accordance with the general interest," he added.

Haroun, a former interior minister in charge of Darfur, was one of two men accused by ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of 51 crimes against humanity and war crimes -- including murder, torture and mass rape.

The other accused is militia leader Ali Kosheib, who the government said was detained in November.

The accusations were the first by the ICC over the atrocities committed in Darfur.

Sudanese Justice Minister Mohammed Ali al-Mardhi defended Haroun -- who is considered close to President Omar al-Beshir -- and insisted the ICC had no legitimacy to try any Sudanese for any crime.

Haroun said he would accept any decision by the Sudanese government and vowed he would display the same "heroic" attitude as late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein should he have to answer to an international court.

Haroun also alleged that the ICC announcement was aimed at scuppering diplomatic efforts led by Libya and Eritrea to revive the peace process.

The ICC, which may yet name more senior Sudanese officials in its investigation into Darfur war crimes, can now ask the Sudanese government to hand over the suspects or issue international arrest warrants against them.

Beshir's National Congress Party rejected Moreno-Ocampo's accusations as the latest evidence of a Western-engineered "conspiracy" against Khartoum.

But his partner in the national unity government, the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement, has warned against any attempt to challenge the ICC's decisions.

All Darfur rebel groups also welcomed the ICC announcement.
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