Mr Haroun, who was interior minister in charge of Darfur at the height of the conflict, is accused of helping to recruit militias.

"Ahmad Haroun visited Darfur on a regular basis and became known to people in Darfur as the official from Khartoum who recruits, staffs and arms the Janjaweed," Mr Moreno-Ocampo said.

"The evidence shows that Ahmad Haroun provided arms for the Janjaweed from a budget that was unlimited and not publicly audited."

Sudanese Justice Minister Mohammed Ali al-Mardi insisted that Mr Haroun had no links with the Janjaweed and said Mr Kushayb was already in detention in Sudan.

The minister also reaffirmed Sudan's contention that the ICC had no jurisdiction to try the suspects.

Human rights groups have also been critical of the investigation, which was conducted mostly outside Sudan owing to security concerns.

Lengthy inquiry

Numerous international reports and experts have directly linked the activities of the Janjaweed to the central Sudanese government in Khartoum.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says joint attacks on villages have been well-documented and there is little doubt the militia have been given weapons and vehicles to fight rebels.

Mr Moreno-Ocampo has spent two years examining evidence gathered by a UN investigative team.

ICC judges now have to decide whether to open an inquiry against the suspects with the aim of issuing international arrest warrants.

The court, set up in 2002, is the world's first permanent tribunal for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

It is a court of last resort, intervening only when national authorities cannot or will not prosecute.