Mali nominates Cheick Modibo Diarra as new Prime Minister

Bamako (Mali): Soldiers arrested the head of one of Mali's biggest political parties and officials from the country's ousted government today, deepening questions about whether the military is still in control even as a new civilian prime minister was appointed to the interim government.

Cheick Modibo Diarra, a former NASA scientist who served as Microsoft Corp.'s chairman for Africa until last year, is now tasked with organizing new elections in Mali after last month's coup.

His nomination as prime minister comes just days after a new interim president was sworn in after the regional group ECOWAS pressured the junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo into signing an accord that was supposed to pave the way to full civilian rule.

However, Sanogo has made clear in numerous statements since the agreement that he intends to continue to play an important role in Malian politics, especially after the 40-day period the interim president has in office under the terms of the constitution.

Today, soldiers detained a number of senior politicians and military officials, including many prominent in the government that was toppled last month by the junta. Among them are one of overthrown President Amadou Toumani Toure's former prime ministers, the general in charge of Toure's personal military protection and the country's former defence minister.

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The president of one of Mali's biggest political parties was also arrested. Soumaila Cisse was one the front-runners for the presidential election set for April 29 that was derailed by the coup.

Cisse was arrested today in front of his home in Bamako, according to Abdoul Malick Diallo, a member of parliament from Cisse's party.

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Diallo said that Cisse was hurt during the arrest but that he couldn't say how serious the injury was.

The European Union delegation in Mali issued a statement today expressing concern about the arrests and calling for "an urgent clarification and their immediate release."

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Asked by The Associated Press to comment on today's arrests, Mali's interim President Dioncounda Traore refused. "No, nothing," he said.

Yesterday, former Malian Prime Minister Modibo Sidibe was re-arrested by military personnel at his home, according to his aide Cheickna Diarra, who said he did not know why Sidibe was arrested or where he was being held.

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