Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampomade the announcement at a press conference at the InternationalCriminal Court headquarters in The Hague.
"I just submitted anapplication requesting to the pre-trial chamber Number-three to issuean arrest warrant against Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir for genocide,crimes against humanity and war crimes," he said.
But Moreno-Ocampo stressed he was not indicting President Bashir.
"Ilike to be very clear on this; I am requesting a decision to thejudges, they can agree with my application, they can dismiss myapplication they can do something different, they can request moreevidence," he said. "So, the judges have the power now to decide."
Theprosecutor also said if indicted Mr. Bashir could face three counts ofgenocide, and charges of causing serious mental harm, and deliberatelyinflicting conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction. He added the president could also face five counts of crimes againsthumanity, including murder, extermination, forcible transfer of thepopulation, torture and rape.
Should the judges decide toissue a warrant for Mr. Bashir's arrest, he would become the firstserving head of state to be indicted by the ICC.
Sudan doesnot recognize the ICC and has steadfastly refused to hand over twoother suspects charged by the court, Humanitarian Affairs MinisterAhmad Harun and Janjaweed militia leader Ali Kushayb.
Thedecision to pursue the case against President al-Bashir has been metwith hostility by the Sudanese who say it will jeopardize peace talksbetween the government and Darfur rebels.
Khalid al Mubabrak,the Sudanese Embassy spokesman in London, dismissed the charges againsthis president as false. He underscored the fact the ICC has nojurisdiction over Sudan.
"Just like the United States of Americawe have not ratified the Statute of Rome, which created the ICC," saidMubarak. "Sudan has got its own judicial system it is quite efficientit has already looked into matters about Darfur, indicted some people,set some people free imprisoned some people."
Mubarak added theprosecutor's action could actually prolong the Darfur crisis as itmight encourage Darfur rebels to step up their insurgency.
Attackson government installations by Darfur rebels in 2003 set off thecrisis. The Sudanese government allegedly responded by arming militiasthat forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
TheUnited Nations estimates that 300,000 people have died as a resultof the conflict. More than two million are said to be displaced, themajority of them living in camps in Darfur.