Sudan opposition leader 'arrested'

Khartoum, 18 Jan – (ANA) - The Sudanese Islamist opposition leader, Hassan al-Turabi, has been arrested by security forces at his home, his party says.

His secretary, Awad Babiker, told the Reuters news agency that armed officers arrived in several vehicles and also arrested a member of Mr Turabi's staff after he clashed with them.

On Sunday, Mr Turabi warned of a "popular uprising" if the government did not reverse new austerity measures.

Mr Turabi, a former ally of President Omar al-Bashir, has been detained several times since he set up his Popular Congress Party (PCP).

He spent a month and a half in detention in 2010 after he repeated an allegation that April's presidential election had been rigged. (ANA)

FA/ANA/18 January 2011---------