Hague prosecutor accuses Congo warlords

By Aaron Gray-Block

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Two Congolese militia leaders commanded forces that raped, killed and looted civilians in an attack that killed 200 people during the Congo war, a war crimes prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui both pleaded not guilty before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of directing the February 2003 attack on Bogoro village in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

"Some were shot dead in their sleep, some cut up by machetes to save bullets. Others were burned alive after their houses were set on fire by the attackers," Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said.

Others were shot as they fled, he said.

The attack took place towards the end of the 1998-2003 Congo war that left 4 million dead, mainly from hunger and disease, as rival groups fought for control of natural resources such as gold and diamonds.

Katanga, 31, an ethnic Ngiti, is said to have commanded the Patriotic Resistance Force (FRPI). Ngudjolo, 39, a Lendu, is accused of being the former leader of the National Integrationist Front (FNI).

They are charged with seven counts of war crimes and three of crimes against humanity, including murder, sexual slavery, rape, using child soldiers and pillaging.

Defence lawyers disputed whether Katanga or Ngudjolo were the commanders of the militias at the time of the attack, denied their involvement and accused both Uganda and DRC, which they said had much to gain from the attack.