Two Darfur rebel leaders have told the International Criminal Court they believe in justice. They surrendered to the court in The Hague to answer war crimes charges over an attack that killed 12 peacekeepers in war-torn Darfur.

Introducing themselves as revolutionaries, Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus said they welcomed the chance to clear their names and urged other war crimes suspects to face justice. They handed themselves over to the court on Wednesday following a summons to appear issued last year.

"I came here voluntarily in response to the summons of the ICC and I call upon everyone who has been summonsed by this court to come here to exonerate themselves," Banda told a panel of three judges. His co-accused Jerbo confirmed his words: "We are here to achieve justice and I call on everyone who is wanted for justice to come to this court to achieve justice to everyone," he said.

War crimes
Banda and Jerbo face three counts of war crimes over an attack on a military base in Haskanita, North Darfur, in September 2007 that killed 12 African Union peacekeepers. Another eight soldiers were wounded in the incident.

ICC prosecutors say the attack was carried out by 1,000 fighters of the Sudanese Liberation Army-Unity under the command of Jerbo, and splinter forces of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Banda. They also say the men destroyed the infrastructure of the military base and stole refrigerators, computers, mobile phones, 17 vehicles, fuel, ammunition and money.

Banda and Jerbo, both wearing headphones, followed the proceedings through court translators. They sat expressionless as the charge sheet was read out to them.

"The chamber finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Banda and Mr Jerbo are criminally responsible as co-perpetrators or as indirect co-perpetrators for the war crime of murder, the war crime of attacking personnel or objects involved in a peacekeeping mission and the war crime of pillage."

The men didn't enter a plea, as Thursday's session was only designed to introduce the suspects to the court and to ascertain whether they understand the charges against them. There will be a next hearing in November to formally confirm the indictment. The presiding judge wished them a safe journey back to their country, where they will await their trial.

Darfur cases
Banda and Jerbo are not the first to surrender themselves to the court over the Haskanita attack. ICC judges turned down a prosecution bid to try another rebel chief, Bahar Idriss Abu Garda earlier this year, saying there was insufficient evidence to link him to the killings.

This is the fourth case before the ICC involving crimes committed in Darfur. Arrest warrants are outstanding for Sudan's President Omar al Bashir, former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and Janjaweed militia leader Ali Koshayb. The ICC wants the UN Security Council to press Sudan to hand them over to answer charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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