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Sudan war crime charges expected Sudan war crime charges expected
(about 2 hours later)
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is to unveil the latest charges from his investigation into war crimes in Darfur. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is expected to seek the arrest of Sudan's president for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo is expected to seek an arrest warrant for Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Luis Moreno-Ocampo is set to recommend charging Omar al-Bashir in a report to judges at The Hague on an investigation into war crimes in the Darfur region.
It would be the first such indictment against a serving head of state. The Sudanese government has warned the move will undermine peace in Darfur.
The judges at the ICC will take at least six weeks to decide whether the prosecutor has a case. This will be the first time the court's prosecutor has tried to make a case against a sitting head of state.
Sudan's government does not recognise the ICC. It has labelled Mr Moreno-Ocampo a criminal, and warned that any indictment could stall peace talks. A three-judge panel will take at least six weeks to decide whether to indict the president.
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan, at the Hague in Holland, says that while some will welcome this move as a victory for justice, others fear it will undermine the peace process in Darfur and spark further violence in Sudan. Sudan does not recognise the ICC and has refused to hand over two suspects who Mr Moreno-Ocampo charged last year, Humanitarian Affairs Minister Ahmad Harun and militia leader Ali Kushayb.
It has also labelled Mr Moreno-Ocampo a criminal, and warned that any indictment could stall peace talks and spread mayhem throughout the country.
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan at The Hague says that while some will welcome this move as a victory for justice, others fear it will undermine the peace process in Darfur and spark further violence.
Alert raisedAlert raised
On Sunday thousands of people rallied in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, in support of President Bashir and denouncing the anticipated charges. Mr Moreno-Ocampo's office has said he will submit to the ICC on Monday "evidence on crimes committed in the whole of Darfur over the last five years" and seek to charge an individual or individuals, but gave no further details.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms this move by this criminal Ocampo Abdalmahmood MohamadSudanese representative to UN Sudan braces for charges' impact
The prosecutor said last month that Sudan's "entire state apparatus" was involved in an organised campaign to attack civilians in Darfur, and that he would present judges with evidence implicating senior government officials.
On Sunday, thousands of people rallied in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to show their support for Mr Bashir and to denounce the anticipated charges.
"With our souls, with our blood we die for Bashir," the demonstrators chanted outside an office where the president was chairing an emergency meeting.
Sudan's representative at the United Nations told the BBC that any charges against Mr Bashir would be disastrous for the security and stability of Sudan.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this move by this criminal Ocampo," said Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad.
Thousands of pro-government protestors took to the streetsThousands of pro-government protestors took to the streets
The demonstrators gathered outside an office where Mr Bashir was chairing an emergency meeting. The ruling National Congress party has meanwhile warned of "more violence and blood" in Darfur.
Thousands of UN and AU peacekeepers are deployed in Darfur and a spokeswoman for the force has said the security alert for its staff has been raised.Thousands of UN and AU peacekeepers are deployed in Darfur and a spokeswoman for the force has said the security alert for its staff has been raised.
The joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), which has 9,000 troops in Darfur, has been struggling to contain the violence there. The joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), which has 9,000 troops, has been struggling to contain the violence.
It has raised the security alert for its staff to "level four", which stops short of evacuating all staff, but relocates foreign workers who are not directly involved in relief or security operations.It has raised the security alert for its staff to "level four", which stops short of evacuating all staff, but relocates foreign workers who are not directly involved in relief or security operations.
UN officials fear that anti-government groups in the south and the west will be emboldened if they perceive President Bashir as weakened. UN officials fear that anti-government groups in the south and the west will be emboldened if they perceive the president as weakened.
The Janjaweed Arab militia has been accused of ethnic cleansing and genocide against black African civilians, after rebel groups took up arms in Darfur in 2003. The Arab Janjaweed militia has been accused of ethnic cleansing and genocide against black African civilians, after rebel groups took up arms in Darfur in 2003.
The UN estimates that some 300,000 people have died as a result of of the conflict. More than two million people have fled their villages. The UN estimates that some 300,000 people have died as a result of the conflict. More than two million people have fled their villages.
The Khartoum authorities have been accused of supporting the campaign and protecting those responsible for atrocities. The government denies this. The government has been accused of supporting the campaign and protecting those responsible for atrocities. It denies the charges.
The ICC was set up in 2002 as the world's first permanent war crimes court.The ICC was set up in 2002 as the world's first permanent war crimes court.