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Posted 8:58 AM
by Mary
ICC seeks DR Congo's 'Terminator'
A Congolese warlord known as "the Terminator" is being sought for prosecution, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has revealed.The arrest warrant for Bosco Ntaganda, was issued in 2006 but not made public and he is still at large.
He is accused of conscripting children under 15 to fight in hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between July 2002 and December 2003.Judges say he reported to Thomas Lubanga, currently in ICC custody.
The arrest warrant for Mr Ntaganda is the fourth to be issued by the ICC involving fighting in the gold-rich Ituri region.
ICC judges say as deputy head of military operations for the rebel Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of the Congo (FPLC), Mr Ntaganda was responsible for seven camps where children were trained.He is also accused of taking part in FPLC attacks when the group used child soldiers.
The FPLC, drawn from the area's Hema ethnic group, fought alongside Mr Lubanga's Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) against the Lendu ethnic group.
The violence broke out in 1999 and continued until 2003, partly for control of the gold deposits.An estimated 50,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands left homeless. At different times, Mr Lubanga was backed by both Uganda and Rwanda - DR Congo's neighbours.
Under a peace deal, several Congolese militias have disarmed and been integrated into the national army.Mr Ntaganda's arrest warrant was not made public before in case it hindered the court's investigations, the ICC said in a statement. Mr Lubanga's trial is scheduled to start in June.
Labels: COngo, ICC, war crimes
