Sudan slams US report naming it 'state sponsor of terrorism'

Sudan has harshly criticised the US State Department’s annual global terrorism report, released on Wednesday, which names Sudan as a “state sponsor of terrorism”.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Thursday saying the US report, which insists on listing Sudan among the designated states sponsor of terrorism, holds major contradictions within its content. Although the information contained in the report includes assurances that Sudan “has been a cooperating partner in the fight against terrorism”, it also ends up keeping Sudan on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Sudan News Agency quoted the ministry’s statement, which reportedly said: “The report lacks credibility when it creates lists of countries that sponsor terrorism so that the US can use it as a foreign policy tool for political purposes.”

The statement added: “Needless to say, the Sudanese state, which is described as a strong partner in the fight against terrorism, cannot be described at the same time as a sponsor of terrorism. US officials admitted that keeping Sudan on the list serves political interests and has nothing to do with terrorism, as explained by former special Envoy Scott Grayson at a congressional hearing in July 2009.”

The statement insisted that Sudan be taken off the list and warned that when the US administration adopts a policy of double standards it feeds terrorism around the world and develops a rich environment for it to grow.