Court names first suspects in Darfur war crimes hunt

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor named a Sudanese minister and a militia commander on Tuesday as the first suspects he wants tried for war crimes in Darfur and suggested more may follow.

Sudan said the ICC had no right to try the suspects and questioned the evidence gathered by its investigators.

“All the evidence the prosecutor referred to is lies given by people who bear arms against the state and kill innocent citizens in Darfur,” Justice Minister Mohamed Ali al-Mardi said in Khartoum.