Turabi: Sudan rebel attack could prove positive

By Opheera McDoom

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - A rebel attack on Khartoum could improve prospects for peace in Darfur and for democracy in Sudan, Islamist opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi said on Monday after being questioned over suspected involvement.

Turabi was detained for over 12 hours on Monday, two days after Darfur's Islamist rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) brought civil war to Khartoum's doorstep.

"This...actually looks quite promising as everyone will have to behave rationally and engage in a political process for Darfur, for neighborly relations and moving towards elections that would engage all political parties," he told Reuters after his release.

"This is more likely than just a reverting back. The symptoms are bad now but probably it will be fine," he said, adding that all sides would now realize that a military solution was not the way forward.

Turabi, who was once close to Osama bin Laden, has been a central figure in Sudanese politics for decades and has also been repeatedly detained and imprisoned.

He was the spiritual mentor behind the Islamist government of President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who took power in a 1989 coup, but they later fell out. JEM leaders were linked to Turabi in the past but he denies any ties now. So do they.

Greeted by cheers from followers at his home, Turabi said he was interrogated by senior officers.

"I told them I'm not going to answer your questions at all," he said.

"They said they had phonetic evidence, papers, evidence through confession that would involve you in this affair and I said okay if you hold that evidence then take me to court."

Turabi said he would not be surprised if he was arrested again as another party official had been released and rearrested. But several other Popular Congress Party members were released without charge.

(Editing by Matthew Tostevin)