Sudan remains on terrorism list despite U.S. promises
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August 18, 2011 (WASHINGTON) – The United States on Thursday kept
Sudan’s name on its list of states that sponsor terrorism a day after
a senior official in Khartoum anticipated that his country’s
designation will be rescinded.
JPEG - 35.6 kb
President Barack Obama walks toward Marine One while departing the
White House on August 18, 2011 in Washington, DC. President Obama is
traveling to Martha’s Vineyard to vacation with his family (AFP)
In an annual congressionally mandated report, the US State Department
said that Sudan “remained a cooperative partner in global
counterterrorism efforts against al-Qa’ida (AQ) in 2010”.
“During the past year, the Government of Sudan worked actively to
counter AQ operations that posed a potential threat to U.S. interests
and personnel in Sudan. Sudanese officials have indicated that they
viewed continued cooperation with the United States as important and
recognized the potential benefits of U.S. training and
information-sharing”.
The report also acknowledged that Khartoum has taken steps to limit
the activities of foreign terrorist groups within Sudan and to disrupt
foreign fighters’ use of Sudan as a logistics base and transit point
for violent extremists going to Iraq.
Furthermore, Washington said there is little evidence to support
allegations made last year that Khartoum provided support to the
Ugandan Lord Resistance Army (LRA).
The guerrilla group that is known for their abduction of child
soldiers and extreme brutality, sought refuge in South Sudan during
the two-decades civil war.
But following the Sudan peace accord, the government in the South said
it cut off Khartoum’s supply lines to the LRA so the Ugandan rebels
moved north to Khartoum-controlled territory in Darfur to get
resupplied.
The Washington-based Enough Project also said in 2010 that it found
evidence that the LRA units relocated to Darfur.
However the U.S. administration said that terrorist groups including
“al-Qa’ida-inspired terrorists remained in Sudan as gaps remained in
the Sudanese government’s knowledge of and ability to identify and
capture these individuals as well as prevent them from exploiting the
territory for smuggling activities”.
“Some evidence suggested that individuals who actively participated in
the Iraqi insurgency have returned to Sudan, and may be in a position
to use their expertise to conduct attacks within Sudan or to pass on
their knowledge. Sudanese officials continued to view Hamas members as
representatives of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas members conducted
fundraising in Sudan, and Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) maintained a
presence in Sudan”.
Today’s report also noted that Sudan took steps to meet international
standards in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
“The most significant achievement was passage of the Money Laundering
and Terrorism Financing Act of 2010, approved by the Council of
Ministers in January 2010 and ratified by Parliament in June 2010.
Sudan continued its cooperation with the U.S. government in
investigating financial crimes related to terrorism”.
Sudan has been intensively lobbying the US so it can be removed from
the terrorism list. Many officials in the ruling party feel that they
alienated their Islamic base by cooperating with Washington in areas
like Somalia and Iraq without getting anything in return.
The Obama administration announced earlier this year that it initiated
the process of delisting Sudan to reward Khartoum for facilitating the
South’s referendum and later recognizing its results.
The de-listing process however, appears to have been stalled by
clashes that erupted in South Kordofan between the Sudanese army and
Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) units as well Khartoum’s military
takeover of Abyei which is a contested oil-rich region that lies on
the North-South borders.
The U.S. State Department added Sudan to its state terror list in
1993, accusing Khartoum of harboring local and international militants
including for a time AQ leader Osama bin Laden.
Countries on the list of state sponsors of terrorism cannot receive US
aid or buy US weapons and a raft of restrictions on financial and
other dealings. The list currently includes Cuba, Iran, Sudan and
Syria.
Yesterday Sudan’s foreign minister Ali Karti Karti told the
pro-government Al-Rayaam newspaper that Sudan has been under U.S.
monitoring for the last six months in according with relevant laws
that require certification that the East African nation does not
support terrorist groups.
The Sudanese top diplomat said that the evaluation and assessment
process by Washington is now complete.
“The recommendations have now been completed and submitted and 15 days
are left from today so the picture becomes clear….This issue will be
presented for a decision from the [US] president and then it will be
reviewed whether this should be presented to [US] Congress,” Karti
said.
The Country Reports on Terrorism was published late, more than three
months after its April 30 due date, at which time US law requires the
secretary of state to provide Congress a full report about countries
and groups deemed to be implicated in terrorism.
(ST)
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