Sudan calls for int’l body to investigate Eritrea’s latest charges

Khartoum, 21 Oct 04 - The Eritrean authorities announced last night that they had arrested "a terrorist network" seeking to attack civilian targets and assassinate President Isayas Afewerki.

The Eritrean Foreign Ministry statement said the network was discovered last week.

However, the director of Afewerki's office declined to give further information because of the nature and the sensitivity of the subject, as he put it.

The Eritrean information minister made similar accusations last week.

[Sudanese] Minister of External Relations Mustafa Uthman Isma'il has called, however, for the setting up of an African or an international committee to investigate Eritrea's accusations that Sudan was involved in an attempt on President Isayas Afewerki's life. He said the government was following closely Eritrea's conspiracy against Sudan, pointing out that Asmra has been made fresh claims whenever Sudan discovered a camp to train [rebels] along the common border.

Source: Al-Sahafah web site, Khartoum, in Arabic 21 Oct 04