MARCH 23 SESSION OF GRANVILLE/ABBAS MURDER TRIAL

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000557 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DOJ FOR NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISION DEPT FOR M, P, L, AF, DS, AF/SPG, CA AND S/CT DEPT FOR USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PTER PGOV SU SUBJECT: MARCH 23 SESSION OF GRANVILLE/ABBAS MURDER TRIAL ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 23, 2009, five U.S. Embassy Foreign Service National (FSN) employees from the Regional Security Office, Political/Economic and Public Affairs sections attended the trial of five Sudanese men accused in the January 1, 2008 murders of USAID Officer John Granville and FSN driver Abdelrahman Abbas. The defense panel called two witnesses to testify. One is an attorney at Adil Abdelghani's law firm who was involved in the request for the defendants' medical examinations. The second witness is an orthopedic surgeon who treated Muhanned Mohamed after he was shot while being apprehended. The fifth defendant, Morad al-Sheikh, (whose attorney has not been present for several sessions) called two National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) officers to testify. Morad al-Sheikh's questioning of the first officer was intended to prove al-Sheikh was not a Muslim extremist. The officer confirmed that he would not characterize Morad al-Sheikh as a Muslim extremist. Morad questioned his second witness about alleged torturing during the interrogation of the defendants. The NISS officer denied ever witnessing any torture. The next sessions are scheduled to occur on April 11, 12, and 13. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The trial of the five Sudanese men accused of the January 1, 2008 terrorist murders of USAID Officer John Granville and FSN driver Abdelrahman Abbas continued on March 23, 2009. The prosecution was represented by Chair Mohamed Mustafa Musa, Juma Al Wakul Al-Asir, Granville family attorney Taha Ibrahim, and Abbas family attorney Ismail Abu Sugra. Defense attorneys Sidiq Kadoda, Ahmed Abu Agla, Jamal Altahir, and Wajdi Salih were also present. ¶3. (U) Although the defense yet again did not produce a written witness list as requested, they informed the judge there were only three defense panel witnesses remaining to testify. Morad Al-Sheikh, the fifth defendant whose attorney was not present, said he intended to call two witnesses to speak separately before the court on his behalf. ¶4. (U) The first witness called to the stand was Ms. Amal Abdelghani, a 32 year-old attorney employed by defense attorney Adil Abdelghani's law firm. Ms. Abdelghani testified that the defense's attempt for the accused to be medically examined for physical and mental torture was repeatedly blocked by the Government. Ms. Abdelghani stated she submitted a written request and followed up twice with Judge Gushi on April 21 and 23, 2008, but was told the case file was with Deputy CID Director General Abdelraheem. Ms. Abdelghani appealed unsuccessfully to Khartoum State Chief Prosecutor Babiker Abdelatif on April 24 and 27, 2008, but was told to return on May 1. When she returned, Abdelghani said Babiker told her the request had been rejected, but to call back on May 4. On May 4, Abdelghani said she met with Babiker's secretary who informed her that the Chief Prosecutor had not yet made a decision. When she returned on May 5, Abdelghani was given a document entitled, "Refusal to Conduct Medical Examination for Torture," that the defense panel submitted as Defense Exhibit #6. ¶5. (U) After the Khartoum East Court denied the defense panel's initial request for an independent medical examination, they filed a petition that Ms. Abdelghani hand delivered to the Attorney General's office on May 7, 2008. She returned on May 13, May 18, May 25, and May 26 to follow-up, but was told each time that it was still under review. On May 28 she sent a written reminder, and returned to the Attorney General's office on June 2, June 8, June 15, and June 19, but the AG still would not reply. Ms. Abdelghani testified that the Attorney General finally rendered a decision on August 5, 2008. In a document submitted as Defense Exhibit #8, it states the Attorney General determined "All confessions were made without coercion." Ms. Abdelghani said the defense's final appeal was rejected on August 17, 2008. By that time the case had already been referred to the court and the trial had commenced. ¶6. (U) The second defense witness called to testify was Dr. Mohamed Inayat, a 37 year-old orthopedic surgeon employed by Amal Hospital. (Note: Amal Hospital is widely-known to be owned and operated by the National Intelligence and Security Service.) Dr. Inayat testified that Muhanned Osman Mohamed, the third defendant, was brought to Amal Hospital at 1:25 p.m. on February 9, 2008. Dr. Inayat said he examined Mohamed at approximately 3:00 p.m. and found him to be in stable condition after having been shot in the thigh. Inayat told the court the bullet entered the anterior portion of Mohamed's upper leg with a trajectory towards the posterior area of his thigh, indicating Muhanned Osman Mohamed had been shot from the front. Dr. Inayat testified that he performed surgery to remove the bullet fragment, and oversaw Mohamed's care for his three-week stay in the hospital. When cross-examined by the prosecution, Dr. Inayat confirmed Mohamed was handcuffed during his stay at the hospital, but that he never complained to him nor presented any symptoms or signs of injury related to torture. ¶7. (U) After the conclusion of Dr. Inayat's testimony, the defense panel informed the judge that their third witness, identified only as a clerk at Omdurman National Bank, had not yet arrived to the courthouse. The judge agreed to proceed with the two witnesses that the fifth defendant, Morad Al-Sheikh, requested to call separately. (Note: Morad's attorney, Awad Allah Mohamed Ali, has not been present for several sessions. According to Morad's previous testimony, Awad Ali is his uncle.) ¶8. (U) The first witness called by Morad Al-Shaeikh was NISS officer Omar El Numan Skeikh Aldein. The defendant asked Aldein if he ever heard anyone refer to him as a "Takfir." (Note: Takfir wal-Hijra is a Muslim extremist group that emerged in the 1960s as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. The group was responsible for 2000 and 2003 terrorist attacks in Khartoum, and its members have suspected affiliation with Al-Qaeda.) Aldein denied that he ever heard anyone refer to Morad al-Sheikh as a Takfir. Morad al-Sheikh then asked Aldein for the names of the NISS arrest team, but Aldein refused to provide them. The prosecution objected, but the judge overruled and did not force Aldein to provide the identities of his NISS colleagues. ¶9. (U) The second witness called by Morad al-Sheikh was Abdelazeem Omar al-Hassan, a 37 year-old NISS officer. Al-Sheikh pointed to defendant #1, Mohamed Makawi Hamid, and asked, "Have you ever seen him hanging from a ladder?" Al-Hassan quickly responded, "That is not true!" Granville family attorney Taha Ibrahim interjected to ask if al-Hassan had ever seen anyone hung from a ladder. Al-Hassan responded that he works in the administrative section, which provides prisoners with meals, soap, toothpaste, and other supplies. Due to being physically located in the administrative section, al Hassan said he had never seen anyone being tortured. ¶10. (U) At the conclusion of al-Hassan's testimony, Judge al-Badri informed the court that the next trial sessions would be held on April 12, 13, and 14. FERNANDEZ