[IWAR] INTL SUDAN seeks U.S. compensation for missile attack onfactory (fwd)

[Traumatic Dog <waste@zor.hut.fi>]

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Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 21:57:44 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: [IWAR] INTL SUDAN seeks U.S. compensation for missile attack on factory

Sudan seeks U.S. compensation for missile attack on factory 
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     KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) - Sudan asked the United States on Tuesday to
     compensate everyone affected by a U.S. attack that destroyed a
     pharmaceutical plant in August.
     
     It also urged the lifting of sanctions imposed on the African
     country.
     
     The Sudanese requests came a day after the U.S. Justice and Treasury
     departments decided to unfreeze the assets of the owner of Sudan's El
     Shifa factory, Saudi-Sudanese businessman Salah Idris.
     
     Washington bombed the factory in August 1998, maintaining it was
     producing chemical weapons agents. The United States also alleges
     that Osama bin Laden, a Saudi billionaire accused of bankrolling last
     year's deadly bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, had
     links to the factory.
     
     Ali Nimir, a minister of state for foreign affairs, said the decision
     to lift the freeze on Idris' assets was ``proof against the
     allegations'' that El Shifa was producing chemical weapons. It also
     ``showed the mistake of the aggression,'' he said.
     
     The official Sudan News Agency, SUNA, quoted Nimir as expressing hope
     that the Clinton administration would compensate all those affected
     ``as well as assist Sudan with realizing peace in the county.''
     
     We ``hope that America would reconsider all the measures it has taken
     against Sudan, annulling all forms of political, trade and economic
     sanctions,'' SUNA quoted Nimir as saying.
     
     The report did not say how much compensation Sudan would like to
     receive. The United States has not backed away from its assertion
     that the plant produced chemical weapons.
     
     Washington considers Sudan a sponsor of terrorism and has imposed
     trade and other economic sanctions. It has withdrawn its diplomats
     from Khartoum for security reasons, but maintains diplomatic contacts
     from Kenya and Egypt.
     
     The U.S. decision to release the freeze on Idris' U.S. bank accounts
     came the day the government was scheduled to answer a civil suit
     filed by Idris on Feb. 26. The suit demanded the release of more than
     $24 million in bank deposits at the Bank of America, which were
     frozen because U.S. officials suspected Idris was involved in
     terrorism.
     
     Idris' attorney said he believed the government backed down because
     it had no evidence the plant was involved in chemical weapons
     production.
     
     Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
     may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.