Bashir heads first meeting of National Security consultancy.

October 21, 2009 (KHARTOUM) -- The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir attended the first meeting of the National Security Consultancy Commission.

From left to right, Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, National Security adviser Salah Gosh, Defense minister Abdel-rahim Mohamed Hussein, National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Mohamed Atta Al-Moula Abbas (Al-Rayaam newspaper)

The commission is said to be headed by Bashir's National Security adviser Salah Gosh who was the director of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) until last August when was replaced in this position by his deputy. The meeting held in a suburb in North Khartoum also included NISS director Mohamed Atta Al-Moula Abbas and Defense minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein. The Sudanese president was quoted as saying during the meeting that the commission is not a substitute for the existing security agencies but "to develop its work and seal coordination among them". Al-Bashir stressed that future decisions should be based on studying and analysis. The commission head Salah Gosh said that the establishment of this body was necessary due to many threats facing the country with a need to coordinate the work of different government agencies to achieve the goal of protecting national security. Gosh stressed that the commission is advisory in nature with no executive powers except to provide advise to the president after performing due diligence on the issues before it. The ex-NISS director was considered a powerful figure in the country until his removal. The decree issued by Bashir stated that Gosh was appointed as his adviser with no specific function. However, at the swearing in ceremony Gosh said revealed that he is an adviser for National Security but provided no details on his role. A political analyst in Khartoum, who asked not to be named, told Sudan Tribune downplayed the significance of the newly formed commission. "Gosh simply wants to show that he is still active in the political scene. The fact of the matter is that he has been stripped of all his powers with no role in decision making" he said. "Even if we were to believe that this commission is for real, it is hard to imagine that the army or police would cooperate with him. They were not big fans of him to begin with particularly Abdel-Rahim [Defense minister]" he added. There have been conflicting reports on reasons behind sacking Gosh with some claiming that Bashir felt that he was getting too powerful with ambitions to become president. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Bashir last March accusing him of orchestrating war crimes in Sudan's western region of Darfur. Following the indictment, many have speculated that a power struggle within the ruling party to replace Bashir. However, the National Congress Party (NCP) nominated Bashir to run for president in the 2010 elections. (ST)

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