Sudan Ex-Official Faces Trial for Airlift of Ethiopian Jews

CAIRO —  Former Sudanese Vice President Omar Mohamed Tayeb will be tried for treason for his alleged involvement in the airlift of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan, Egypt’s Middle East News Agency said today.

Reporting from Khartoum, it said charges of treason and spying would be brought against Tayeb, a major general who has been under arrest since the April 6 military coup which ousted President Jaafar Numeiri.

The charges follow a pledge by the new government in Khartoum to investigate the airlift of 12,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel between late November and early January.

Numeiri denied any involvement, but Sudan’s aviation workers’ union said last month that the airlift was carried out from Khartoum airport with the knowledge of security authorities.