First Darfur rebel to appear before Hague court

Source: Reuters

Sun May 17, 2009 12:48pm EDT

By Catherine Hornby

AMSTERDAM, May 17 (Reuters) - A Darfur rebel leader accused of killing African Union peacekeepers in 2007 is expected to appear before the International Criminal Court on Monday and is already in The Hague, the ICC said on Sunday.

Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, who has denied the charges, has shown a willingness to attend the court in response to its summons, the court said in a statement. He flew in to the Netherlands on Sunday.

He would be the first rebel to stand before the ICC after the court's prosecutor accused him and two others of what AU officials called the bloodiest assault on peacekeepers since the Darfur conflict began in 2003.

The ICC said judges had decided it was unnecessary to issue an arrest warrant since he was ready to appear voluntarily ...



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLH434223