Washington/Khartoum: The US State Department confirmed on Friday that prosecutors from the International Criminal Court were to seek an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir for genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
"I understand that there is some notice that the prosecutor intends to go before a panel of judges to present information and request for a warrant," department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, issued a statement on Thursday announcing that he would submit evidence of crimes committed against civilians in Darfur over the past five years, though he will wait until Monday to name names.
If the judges issue an arrest warrant, Al Bashir would be the first sitting or former head of state to be charged with genocide by the six-year-old international court.
The prosecutor may seek the arrests of other senior Sudanese officials later, an official told The Washington Post.
Some UN officials feared the move to haul up Al Bashir could complicate the peace process in Darfur and trigger a military response by Sudanese forces or their proxies against UN and African Union peacekeepers.
International organisations in Sudan tightened security on Friday, fearing a violent backlash. "Staff are advised to upgrade their personal security measures," an urgent security notice sent to UN staff in Khartoum said, asking them to refrain from all but essential movement.
