Sudanese woman, freed from death, held at airport

Khartoum, June 24 (IANS) A day after being freed from death row following her conviction for apostasy, a Sudanese woman has been arrested at Khartoum airport, a security source Tuesday claimed.

The security official, however, claimed he was unaware of the reason for her re-arrest.

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim was sentenced to death last month for renouncing Islam and was initially released Monday after what the government said was "unprecedented" international pressure, the Independent reported Tuesday.

An appeals court declared Ibrahim not guilty on two charges of apostasy and adultery, the latter of which was to see her flogged 100 times.

One of Ibrahim's lawyers said she was being held at a security building outside the airport along with her Christian American husband Daniel Wani and their two children.

Ibrahim's husband had earlier described how she was forced to give birth in prison with her legs chained, after she refused to renounce her Christian faith during a four-day 'grace period' when she was eight months pregnant.

On Monday, her husband said the family intended to travel to the US after her release.

About 40 security agents detained Ibrahim Tuesday as they tried to board a plane, a source told the BBC.

The US had indicated its willingness to expedite the family's route to starting afresh across the Atlantic - but said while the release was a "huge first step", getting the family on a plane to the US would be the second.