Omar al-Bashir: Have Warrant, Will Travel

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has a warrant out for his arrest from the International Criminal Court: on five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture and rape), two counts of war crimes (attacking civilians and pillaging), and three counts of genocide. The warrant was issued in March 2009, but that hasn't exactly made al-Bashir quake in his shoes. In fact, he's now feeling confident enough to travel, taking his first trip to a member state of the ICC. More from Al-Jazeera:

"Al-Bashir was seen exiting the plane and being welcomed by Chadian President Idriss Deby.

He will be attending a summit of the Sahel-Saharan states, despite Chad being a signatory of the Rome Statute that binds members to honour arrest warrants issued by the global court.

Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege, reporting from N'djamena, the Chad capital, said that the streets of the capital had been lined with 'people just very curious about what may happen upon his arrival, just wanting to get a look at him.

'In terms of the security, it has been extremely tight. For the last 72 hours the streets of the capital have been lined with soldiers. there has been huge restriction on air travel.

'The mood here is very calm, but of course people are very nervous to see what is going to happen if anything is going to happen at all.'

Sudanese officials have said that they were confident that Bashir would not be handed over to the ICC as the Rome Statute stipulates and African Union member states have repeatedly refused to comply with the arrest warrant against him."

The Christian Science Monitor has more on al-Bashir's trip on the heels of a fresh press crackdown in Sudan.

(Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)