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| | GEO World | Sudan leader 'diverted funds' to Britain: WikiLeaks | Updated at: 1102 PST, Saturday, December 18, 2010
 LONDON: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir siphoned off nearly six billion pounds of oil money into British bank accounts, according to US diplomatic cables revealed by WikiLeaks Saturday.
The document quotes the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court as saying that US officials should go public with the allegations about Bashir in order to turn Sudanese public opinion against him.
It said the prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, told US officials that the figure allegedly put away by Bashir was possibly nine billion and "would change Sudanese public opinion from him being a 'crusader' to that of a thief."
The document, released by the whistleblowing website a day after its founder Julian Assange was released on bail in Britain over allegations of sex crimes in Sweden, said that Lloyds Banking Group "may be holding or knowledgeable of the whereabouts of his money".
Lloyds insisted it was not aware of any link with Bashir.
"We have absolutely no evidence to suggest there is any connection between Lloyds Banking Group and Mr Bashir," a spokeswoman said.
"The group's policy is to abide by the legal and regulatory obligations in all jurisdictions in which we operate."
Bashir is wanted by The Hague-based court to face charges of genocide and war crimes in Sudan's western province of Darfur. He is subject to two arrest warrants issued by the ICC for atrocities committed in Darfur. |  | |
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