US bans former Sudanese spy chief

The former head of the Sudanese intelligence service has been banned from entering the US because of his alleged involvement in human rights violations. The US State Department said it had credible evidence that Salah Gosh was involved in torture when he was in charge of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services. BBC News reports that members of his family have also been blacklisted. Legalbrief reports that Gosh was accused of having a significant role in organising the Khartoum Government's militias in the Darfur conflict. When the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Gosh supposedly threatened the 'amputation of the hands and the slitting of the throats of any person who dared bad-mouth al-Bashir or support' the ICC decision. Sudan's ruling military council and main opposition coalition signed a declaration about 10 days ago to pave the way for a three-year transition period, and subsequently agreed on a final power-sharing deal.