Sudan’s ex-spy chief freed after coup charges dropped
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July 10, 2013, (KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s former director of National
Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Salah Gosh who was charged
with plotting a coup, was abruptly released today along with his aide
Major General Salah Ahmed Abdalla.
JPEG - 34.8 kb
Salah Gosh, former chief of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security
Services (NISS), smiles at his home after his release, in Khartoum
July 10, 2013 (REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)
Authorities in Khartoum announced last November that they had thwarted
a "sabotage" attempt that was later labeled as a coup and arrested
dozens of suspects in the army and security apparatus including Gosh.
Gosh was greeted with jubilation when he arrived at his lavish home in
Khartoum and a sheep was slaughtered to celebrate.
“My principles have not changed, I am still the son of the Islamic
Movement, the National congress Party (NCP), and the Ingaz [salvation]
regime”, he told reporters.
The minister of justice, Mohamed Bushara Dousa, has decided to drop
the charges against Gosh and ordered that he be freed along with Maj.
Gen. Abdalla.
Dousa justified his move by saying that the defendants have served the
nation for a long time adding that he took into account the national
interest of the country and unity of its people in the face of the
significant challenges, pointing out that he made his decision after
consulting with Sudan’s top leadership in reference to Sudanese
president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.
But Gosh’s lawyer Nabeel Adeeb told Agence France Presse (AFP) that
his client was granted an amnesty by Bashir.
Gosh on the other hand told Reuters that prosecutors decided not to
pursue the case against him due to a lack of evidence but disclosed
that some members of his family appealed to the president to pardon
him.
After more than six months in detention, the ex-spy chief and his
associate were formally charged last month with undermining the
constitutional order, inciting violence to topple the legitimate
government and breaching the anti-terrorism law.
Under Sudan’s penal code these charges carry the death penalty or life
imprisonment.
President Bashir twice issued decrees over the last three months
pardoning and commuting sentences for army and security officers
convicted in connection with the coup attempt.
However, the Sudanese president excluded his former adviser and
ex-director of NISS.
Sudan’s attorney general Omar Ahmed Mohammed said in a press
conference that the release came after Gosh’s defense team asked the
justice minister to use his powers under article (58) of the penal
code to drop the criminal charges, or to use the powers of the
president of the republic under article (211) to pardon him.
But he strongly denied that Gosh’s release was due to lack of
evidence, stressing that his defense team appealed on the basis that
their client has served the country for a long time.
Gosh was the head of NISS for about a decade until Bashir replaced him in 2009.
During his tenure Gosh boosted cooperation with America’s Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), particularly after the 9 September 2001
attacks on New York and Washington.
After leaving the security service he became presidential security
adviser but was sacked in early 2011.
(ST)
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