Sudan’s former spy chief facing coup charge freed

KHARTOUM: The former chief of Sudan’s powerful intelligence service, who faced a possible death sentence for his alleged role in a coup plot, was freed under an amnesty yesterday, his lawyer said.
Salah Gosh “was released because of the amnesty given by President Bashir to all those who participated in the coup,” Nabeel Adeeb told AFP.
Gosh was the most high-profile figure detained last November in connection with the alleged coup plot against the 24-year regime of Omar Al-Bashir.
Gosh is also one of the last to obtain amnesty, after soldiers and intelligence officers were earlier pardoned. A witness said Gosh was greeted with jubilation when he reached his house.
“There is a crowd of people celebrating by sacrificing sheep,” the witness said. “Many of his relatives are here.” Gosh was charged in June under the criminal code and anti-terrorism law for his alleged role in the conspiracy, another lawyer, Ali Al-Saeed, said at the time. Lawyers were seeking to have the charges thrown out before the case reached trial. He headed Sudan’s national intelligence service for about a decade until Bashir replaced him in 2009. During his tenure Gosh boosted cooperation with the American Central Intelligence Agency.
After leaving the security service he became presidential security adviser but was sacked in early 2011. He had been pushing for dialogue with the political opposition. In April Bashir pardoned about 15 security agents and military men who had been jailed for their roles in the coup plot. Analysts say the case reflects a political struggle within Bashir’s government.
Officials have never revealed more than vague details about the conspiracy.
Bashir government is facing a variety of challenges including a rebel offensive which widened this year with a push into a previously peaceful part of the country.